Monster
by Kuraki-chan
Summary: The last daughter of the Vasiles and the last Vasile to walk the Earth forever by the side of her sire and best friend no matter how many times she tries to get away. She first came to Mystic Falls fleeing from Romania and watched her best friend die and turn. She returned once and became the monster herself. This time she's not playing around. She will not bow to the Mikaelsons.
1. Are You Ready For the Monster?

01: Are You Ready For the Monster?

"Can we not do this right now? I'm having a really bad night." Damon sighed, walking upstairs.

"All summer, every single time I came to you with a lead, you made me feel like an idiot for having hope." Elena shook her head, following him. "Tell me what you know, Damon. We're supposed to be in this together. Why didn't you tell me that you've been tracking Klaus' victims?"

At the top of the stairs near his bedroom door he snapped. "Because they're not Klaus's victims, Elena, they're Stefan's!"

She shrank back. "Wh-what?"

His hand was on the doorknob. "He's left a trail of body parts up and down the eastern seaboard."

"No," she denied. "You're wrong."

"He's actually not, _pizdă_."

They froze in their tracks. Damon stood protectively in front of Elena, immediately recognizing the woman from behind. She stood in his room with all his information on Stefan from his closet. Her long, dark hair reached halfway down her back and was tinted with some red. She wore black jeggings that hugged her legs and curves, sharp heels, and a deep red blouse. Damon had to compose himself; somehow each time he saw her she became more attractive. He also knew the meaning to the Romanian slur she spat at Elena. He had to force himself not to laugh at her vulgarity.

She turned and his jaw tightened. Even Elena's knees buckled a little. Her skin was like porcelain, pale and flawless without so much of a freckle or scar. Lashes so long they touched her perfectly shaped eyebrows and eyes the most vibrant shade of green, caked with thick, black eyeliner. Dark maroon matte lipstick highlighted her lips that pulled into a smirk. Long, black nails tapped on the papers tauntingly. "I've seen it happen before. He's flipped the switch. Full-blown ripper." She shrugged. "Stefan is gone and he's not coming back. Not in your lifetime, _pizdă._ "

"Who the hell are you?" Elena asked bravely although her voice shook and she clung to the back of Damon's shirt.

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked almost as breathlessly. She'd been staring right at him.

"You know her?" The brunette whisper-yelled at him.

Her eyes wafted over to Elena. She looked the girl up and down, disgust growing on her countenance. "And clearly his poor judgement hasn't changed. I arrived in time then." She snickered and licked her lips.

"Shouldn't you be parading around as a good little girl with some poor human suckers?" He teased her, still shielding Elena.

She shrugged and looked at her nails. "I was. Nice people too. I had a boyfriend and a best friend, a nice flat, steady job. A quiet, human life."

"Had?" Elena squeaked.

"Keep up _pizdă,_ I ate them." She grinned, flashing white fangs.

"Way to jump back off the wagon," Damon chuckled. "You were doing so well with your little facade. Told you it wouldn't last. What's the matter, just not as satisfying or fun as I am?"

She laughed a little, something in her eyes making Elena want to run back downstairs.

* * *

[Flashback]

"How was work?" A dark haired young man pecked her on the cheek.

She sighed and dropped onto the couch, kicking off her shoes. "Miserable. I was on the brink of tearing out my coworker's throat if she didn't shut her pie hole."

He laughed and started rubbing her feet. On the loveseat beside them a blonde girl scrunched up her face. "You're always so morbid and violent, Nicki."

The male to her side chuckled. "Maybe one day she'll finally snap and actually do something."

The blonde smacked him. "Don't say things like that!"

She - Nicki - laughed darkly. "I'm waiting for the day I do snap, truthfully. I've had a good streak so far."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her beau asked.

"I have snapped before. A few times, really. A lot of people got hurt because of it."

"I don't believe that," the blonde shook her head.

"I do," her boyfriend scoffed. Something always seemed off about Nicki to him.

"What happened?" Nicki's boyfriend asked, rubbing her feet slower. He'd never heard of that side of his girlfriend.

"A friend of mine got in my head. He liked to live life to the fullest and to hell with who got hurt. We'd been friends for quite some time so I joined him in his idea of 'fun'. We ended up playing against each other because of some other dumb bitch who kept recurring in his life."

"He sounds like a dick." Her eye twitched as she stared up at the living room ceiling. "You don't talk to him anymore, do you?"

"I haven't in some time, no."

"But if he came around again you would, wouldn't you?" When she didn't answer he kept going. "You've got a lot going for you right now, Nicki. You don't need that asshole messing with your head."

"He never messed with my head, Zane," she spat at him. "I said he _got in_ my head. Meaning the issues and ideology was already there. He just convinced me to stop clinging to something I'm not."

"Like what you're playing at being here with us?"

Nicki sat up slowly, eyeing her blonde friend's beau predatorily. "What's that supposed to mean, Jagger?"

"Jag, leave her alone," Zane argued.

"Ask her, man," Jagger argued, holding his girlfriend protectively close. "I bet you don't know a damn thing about this guy or her life before she came here."

"Of course I know about her life," he fought back. "She grew up in a small town in the south with some family friends because her dad left and her mom got sick and died."

"And you heard that from her telling you, right?" Zane was quiet. "That's my point! No childhood pictures or memorabilia, no paperwork, no details, no proof of who Nicki Vaine even is. You know she doesn't come up when you search her name on the internet?"

"It's been almost a year, man. Why are you bothering with this?"

"Because he's right," she spoke suddenly, standing to her feet in front of them. "You won't find a Nicki or Nicole Vaine on the internet because she doesn't exist."

The blonde gasped. "Are you like witness protection or something?"

She shook her head. "You're going to wish I was. Nicki Vaine is a name I came up with myself. Please, call me Nova."

"Nova…?" Zane breathed.

"Nova Vasile," she continued. "However, I'm a different kind of monster. I'm unlike the three of you. I was born in August of 1841." Their eyes widened, breaths catching in their throats. "I'm a vampire. I have been since 1866 when I was turned by that friend of mine. And yes," she looked down at Zane who gaped up at her, "he is a dick. I'm bad, Zane. I do things; I kill people. It's in my nature, it's who I am."

"You're lying," he breathed, sinking into the couch beneath her gaze.

She sauntered over to the front door near them and locked it. The three began to sweat. "I tried so hard to make this right, I really did. The three of you have been wonderful. Yes, Jagger, even with your constant accusations because in reality," she looked at him with a sick smile, "you were right."

"Why are you telling us this?" His voice shook as he held tightly to the blonde in his lap.

"I thought it might comfort you in your death."

"You don't have to do this, Nicki!" Zane jumped to his feet. "Nova," he shook his head. "Whatever your name is! You're a good person! Why don't you let people see that? You can coexist!"

"When people see good they expect good," she told him sadly. "And I don't want to have to live up to anyone's expectations which is exactly what I'd have to do with you three. There's nothing human left in me, Zane. No good, no kindness, no love. I'm a monster. I'm almost sorry."

They watched, frozen in horror, as her face began to change. Dark veins appeared beneath her eyes. The whites of her eyes turned black, illuminating her emerald irises. Her natural fangs extended below her bottom lip that curled into a twisted grin. She moved so fast, grabbing Jagger first. His girlfriend leaped out of his lap and ran through the house. Zane watched, completely mortified, as Nova tore into his throat and dropped him when his heart stopped pumping blood. He turned and ran after the blonde.

She zoomed by him with her speed. By time he found the blonde Nova had already let her drop to the floor as well. "Please," he begged, falling to his knees. She ignored him.

* * *

"They didn't deserve that!" Elena shouted at her. Damon had to hold the brunette back.

"She just told you she slaughtered three people in under two minutes and you want to go yelling at her?" He scolded her. "For fuck's sake she keeps calling you a cunt in Romanian." Elena blushed and Nova laughed.

"It's my native tongue, sweetheart," she told the brunette, sitting on Damon's bed.

"So you weren't born in Mystic Falls?"

Nova shook her head and waved her hand, inviting them in to talk with her. Hesitantly Elena slipped by Damon to sit in the desk chair. He sighed and leaned against a wall. "I was born in Bucharest in 1841. I came to Mystic Falls on a boat in 1860 and stayed with the Salvatores."

"So you two have known each other a long time," she mused. "What about your parents?"

Her eye twitched. Damon sighed. "Even in all this time I haven't been able to get her to talk about them. What she just told you is the extent of what I know."

Nova looked out the window pensively. "They were bad people, I can tell you that much. Bad people with power. I left on my own and stowed away on a ship."

The longer Elena stared at her, the more regal she seemed. Her posture was straight, legs crossed over the knees with her hands folded on top, not a hair out of place. She wondered if the girl came from royalty or if her parents were just that strict.

"If you keep staring at me I will remove your eyeballs and put them in a jar of formaldehyde."

She jumped in her seat and fiddled with the hem of her white dress. "Sorry," she muttered. "It's just...the way you sit. You have even better posture than Miss Mystic Falls contestants."

"Congratulations on not being blind. Yet." Her green eyes darted to Elena coldly. "I suggest either getting over your boyfriend or joining the party. He's a Ripper, kid. And he's BFFs with the Original hybrid."

"You know about that?" Damon asked warily.

She nodded. "Of course I know about that, _bou_." She rolled her eyes. "I know everything that's happened in this miserable excuse of a town."

"Speaking of which, last time I checked, you vowed to never step foot back into this 'miserable excuse of a town'," he smirked. "Eat your roomies and change your mind?"

Nova smirked which made Elena's skin crawl. "All the fun seems to happen down here. Thought I might entertain myself and play since it's good enough for my best friend. Besides, I've also got to keep you in line from Bulgarian _curva_." She sneered at Elena with disgust.

The brunette sweatdropped. _At least it's not the other Romanian word…_

"Let me guess," she sighed, "you've got beef with Katherine?"

She smiled and leaned forward with her elbow on her knee and chin in her palm. "Oh I hate you just as much, don't even consider otherwise. Truthfully I'd love nothing more than to take Damon the hell out of this pitiful town but I can't do that right now because of your pathetic ass always being the damsel in distress. It's taking a lot for me to not come over there and rip your throat out with my teeth." Her smile never faltered.

Damon snickered as Elena's jaw dropped and she started to shake. "So that's what this is about. I knew you couldn't stay away from me."

"And yet here you are, fawning all over the same face again," she smiled up at him. His smirk vanished. "You're never going to get rid of me, Damon. Not truly."

"I've realized that by now with each time you come back from the dead and follow me to the end of the Earth. What are you really doing here, Nova?"

"You know, I recall people asking the same of you not long ago. Must have sucked when you realized I was right and Katherine screwed you again." She smirked.

"Must have sucked when you realized I was right and you're not so high and mighty that you can coexist with humanity."

In a flash she had him by the throat against the wall. Elena jumped to her feet frightfully. "Maybe you are right," she mused in his face. "Maybe I've finally come to my senses. But I'll be damned if I let you sit here at some doppelganger's feet. I'd sooner drag both of us to Romania." She released him so he could breathe. "Take your pick, Damon - the doppelganger in distress or the SuperNova with answers to baffle you."

"You say that like you'd actually tell me the answers I've been looking for for over a century."

"I would. And if you don't believe me then here's a sign of good faith: I was born into royalty in Bucharest."

* * *

 **A/N:** So if anyone is really wondering what those naughty words are in Romanian she's saying, look them up, I'm sorry LOL  
I have a mouth worse than a sailor and a trucker. Oops.

Yeah of course I make a comeback with an OC cursing in a different language. Good job lol  
xoxo


	2. I'm a Worthless Human Being

**A/N:** I suppose I should have explained myself a little? Lol

My other fanfics I had been working on, I'm actually not terribly proud of. I think I rushed them. But I thank each of you ridiculously who liked them.

This I've really taken my time on going episode by episode and really getting my ducks in the same pond haha.

Thanks to those who have stuck around with me!

xoxo

* * *

02: I'm a Worthless Human Being.

[Romania, 1858]

"Mama, what is all of this…?"

Young Nova stared wide eyed at the secret basement her mother had brought to. The older dark haired woman placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, hair shadowing her face. "You are our only heir, Nova. We must ensure your survival if you are going to be so stubborn and free willed."

She took a step back, yanked forward by her mother's harsh grip on her. Her eyes widened, filling with fear. "Mama…?" She whimpered. "Mama you're hurting me!" Blood whipped across her face, splashing against her pale cheek. She screamed when she saw a man mutilated by her father.

"We are going to make you strong, Nova," he told her with a disturbed smile. "Make your blood strong. You will take our place as leader of a great clan."

"What you do is sick!" She shouted at her parents. "You do not take care of your people, you slaughter them for fun! You experiment on the poor! You are mad!"

"It was all for you, _dragă_." Her mother told her, gently stroking her face. Her dark green eyes were filled with an inexplicable hunger that made Nova shake. "We needed to get everything just right." She nodded to her husband.

Nova screamed when her father grabbed her. She couldn't free herself from his newfound strength. He put her on a cold metal table, strapping her down tightly. "You will be magnificent, Nova."

"I would rather live my life as a vampire for the remainder of the eternity!" She cried out.

He pet her face, smiling creepily above her. "You will be something even better than vampires, _dragă_."

She gasped, tears falling from her eyes. "You tested on them too…" She whimpered.

He nodded and went over to a table full of potions of medical equipment. "We are going to make you the strongest, Nova. All other creatures will bow to your feet."

"I don't want that!" She cried, thrashing against the leather restraints.

"What you do want is pathetic!" He shouted, slapping her across the face. "Your ideologies of peace are worthless. Grow up, child. We live amongst the supernatural. You are a worthless human being so we are going to make you something useful. We will show you your true nature."

Nova's wails went unheard as her parents began poking her with various needles, injecting her with serums and taking her blood.

* * *

[Present]

"You're like a mold you just can't get rid of," Nova sneered as she descended the stairs and saw Elena barge in.

She looked up at the ravenette (albeit a little apprehensively). "You're staying here," she stated, at a small loss for words.

The ravenette chuckled. "Good comeback. Yes, _pizdă,_ I am staying here. The Salvatores have always been extremely hospitable to me." She smirked.

"Says the girl that stole the blankets," came Damon down the stairs. He looked to Elena with slight disdain. "Just can't stay away, can you?"

"You've been dodging my calls," Elena told him.

"Yeah, well, I've been 'hospitable' I guess," he snickered. "You don't understand just what a pain in the ass Nova is and what happens if she isn't given the attention she thinks she deserves."

"Stefan called me last night," she blurted to change the topic.

"Yeah?" Nova purred tauntingly. "What'd he say?"

Elena bit the inside of her cheek. "He didn't say anything, but it was him. I asked Sheriff Forbes if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee."

"Where he's binge drinking on the country folk." Damon told her. "We went through this, Elena. Stefan's gone. I don't mean geographically."

"If he was gone, he wouldn't have called."

"Unless he just wanted to watch you rip your hair out while you drive yourself mad and he has fun tearing the heads off people," Nova smirked. "Or maybe you just have a creepy stalker in Tennessee. You know, the ones that breathe heavily into the phone." She snickered.

"You don't know Stefan like I do."

"No, I know the real Stefan Salvatore that you denies exists. You've never had to rip him off of your comrade's throat before she could die!" Damon grabbed her, holding her back before she could grab at Elena. "I tried to save him once too like a fool. If not for Damon he would have ended my life long ago."

"What do you mean…?"

"Nova and Stefan had kind of a backhanded friendship when they were human," Damon explained quietly, rubbing the ravenette's arms. "She stayed by our sides after we were turned."

"He wasn't going to," Nova told her bitterly. "He was going to die. I didn't agree but I wasn't going to push him. Stefan did. So to lighten the blow I offered my blood. I didn't like the way Stefan's attitude had changed. I stayed with Damon. He didn't like that and pushed me into water he knew I couldn't swim in."

"She had my blood in her system because he'd attacked her not a day prior," he admitted. "He wanted me to choose him over her."

Elena looked between the two of them several times. "But you didn't...in the end you still chose Nova."

Nova scoffed and poured herself a glass of whiskey. "Alright you're dumb enough for a story. Once upon a time there was a barely innocent little Romanian immigrant girl. Shit went south in the southern town she was in because of vampires that she already knew existed back in Romania. Girl loses the only two people in her life - brothers - she really closely knew to being vampires. Girl grows a pair and stays because they needed her the most. One brother flips the switch and drowns the little immigrant girl which sends the other brother into a spiral. He dives in after her and pulls her out but she's not breathing.  
"Little brother realizes what he's done and runs. Big brother is _pissed_. Girl wakes up and forces herself to cling to her humanity out of fear. She distracts herself by watching over the big brother who's gone and gotten himself into a disaster. She stands by him trying to be human still until little brother comes back with the switch just as flipped. Little brother didn't think she'd be a vampire. He freaks out and drowns her _again_ thinking she's human. That time when the big brother pulled her out and she gasped for air she knew what she was. He knew what she was.  
"For many years to come she remained by the big brother's side twice as crazy as he was. They were the king and queen of the underground. They didn't care who got in their way because they were stronger than anyone who dared step up. Whatever they want they got. Then she found out he had been searching for the Bulgarian _curva_ and she started to spiral. She remembered things she had long since forgotten. Things from even before she came to America. She fled and retreated, pretending to be something she wasn't until the monster in her came back for another round."

Nova stared off into the amber liquid in her cup. Her emerald eyes were distant and vacant, haunted by something in her past. She saw her comrade's eyes in the amber, the girl's smile flashing in her memory. It was the only person she'd ever truly opened to. The only person who knew everything she'd been through. Part of her couldn't help but wonder…

* * *

Nova laughed hysterically when Elena fell into the water. Somehow she felt like she was getting some kind of vindication. "You sold me out!" She yelled to Alaric.

"You think I'd take you to a mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?" He retorted.

"What's your big plan, Elena? Huh?" Damon questioned. "You gonna walk through a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow, and wait for Stefan to stop by?"

"Realistically I'm your best bet in all of this," Nova mused, looking at her nails.

"Neither of you are!" The brunette argued. "One bite from a werewolf and without Klaus' blood you die!"

The ravenette shook her head. "Not me." There was a disgusted sorrow in her tone. "For more reasons than one that don't pertain to you."

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1858]

It had been days. She wasn't sure how many but she knew it had been several days. She was panting, her throat dry and lips cracking. Her gown was in tatters and hair all over the place. "Please," she begged, laying on the cold floor, "let me die…"

Her father shook his head and tapped another needle. "We are so close, _dragă._ You are immune to vervain and wolfsbane so far. Today we will make you immune to wolf venom."

"Please, _tată,_ I beg you to stop...I'll do anything…"

"We have already begun, _dragă._ There is no stopping now." He bent down, needle in hand. "We are going to try this and then I will get you a drink okay?"

Groggily she lolled her head in a nod. She couldn't even feel the needle in her arm anymore. She sobbed as her father brought a cup to her lips; it was tea but she knew there was blood tainting it. She just couldn't tell if it was human or vampire.

* * *

[Present]

Nova couldn't deal with Elena's bitching so she went on ahead. She'd dealt with wolves countless times in her life. She had a small shred of hope. Coming closer to the campsite she found several dead (in transition) wolves and one massive, golden looking wolf baring its teeth at two men. She recognized Stefan and it didn't take a genius to figure out it was Klaus at his side. She stared at the golden wolf and smiled, cracking her knuckles.

Damon cursed under his breath when he saw his raven haired companion bound through the trees into battle. She was going to challenge Klaus for kicks. He saw the gold wolf and stopped in his tracks. No, _that's_ why she was challenging Klaus. _A mea._

" _Câine!_ " Nova screamed, jumping out of the trees and tackling Klaus. The wolf moved immediately, jumping on Stefan. Both beasts snarled wildly at the vampires (and technical hybrid) they held down.

"What the-" Elena started. Damon quickly grabbed her mouth.

"Please, for the love of God, shut your mouth Elena. Your boyfriend is a Ripper right now standing by the side of the Original hybrid with a girl who's nickname is SuperNova for reasons a lot more horrifying than you think that hates you and a giant wolf who happens to be her best friend through the ages and their lives are linked together."

Elena's face paled and she watched quietly. Nova and the wolf stood toe to toe with Stefan and Klaus. Nova seemed to have the time of her life.

"I've heard about you," Klaus told her as he stood from the dirt. "You're the little girl they call SuperNova." He chuckled. "Let's see what's so bloody super about you."

Nova cracked her neck as Klaus' face changed. Stefan looked purely mortified, almost shaking in his boots as her face changed. He'd seen it many times before, the veins beneath her eyes as the whites turned dark and her fangs extended like a normal vampire, but as she stood before Klaus her eyes seemed to glow. He could feel the monstrous strength and power radiating off of her. The wolf snarled at his feet and he jumped back. "Lethia," he breathed. He could almost see the wolf smirk.

Elena looked up at Damon in time to see admiration in his eyes as he stared at Nova. She followed his gaze to find the girl having leaped into the air. She grabbed Klaus' shoulders and flipped over him, forcing him to flip over her body. The ravenette flung him harshly face down in the dirt. Elena winced but Damon still stared with great fondness. He looked at her even greater than he had Katherine.

Klaus had gotten pissed instantly. They danced around one another, landing various blows. Nova backflipped over Stefan and the wolf (Lethia) going for blows themselves as Stefan tried desperately to not get bit by the wolf. He looked up at she twisted above him through the setting sun. He knew she was strong but he never knew how strong she truly was and how much of a fighter she really was.

Her boots skidded through the dirt and she snarled with a grin. Stefan had been so busy watching her stick her landing that Lethia got a chunk of his skin, the wolf venom making its way quickly through him. Lethia reared back on her hind legs and head butted Stefan into Klaus. Nova jumped in and landed a few more kicks and punches on both of them before throwing them each into trees. She whirled around and made eye contact with Damon, grinning big.

Her long hair spun in the wind around her, almost floating. Blood splattered across her cheeks and her emerald eyes beamed with life. To say the least, Damon was captivated. She gave him a small wave, the same small wave each of them did when they were off to do something stupid. He wanted nothing more than to run out to her, to catch her before she did the stupid thing, but he had to protect Elena. Klaus thought she was dead. Elena didn't miss the longing in his eyes as he stared at Nova.

She front flipped that time, landing on the wolf. Elena couldn't believe the wolf really was that big. Nova took off, flipping off Klaus on the way, on the wolf into the woods. Klaus growled and snatched up Stefan, demanding that they find the two girls.

Nova looked to the sky; the sun was nearly set and the full moon slowly rising. She cursed in Romanian under her breath. She could still hear all of them in the woods - Klaus, Stefan, Alaric, Elena, Damon. She could hear them running around like crazy. One of Klaus' failed (as he'll soon learn) hybrids had caught up to Team Not Klaus. She leaned down and muttered something to the wolf in Romanian. She nodded and they reared back a bit, taking a sharp right.

She could hear the hybrid, Ray. They leaped off a small cliff down the hillside onto the hybrid. " _Ucide,_ " Nova commanded the wolf. Without hesitation Lethia tore into Ray's throat, knocking off his head. The ravenette looked to the trio with more blood having splattered on her. "You need to get out of here. We'll deter Klaus and Stefan."

"We need to save Stefan!" Elena argued.

Nova's jaw tightened, lips in a straight line. Her and Elena stared hard at one another for a long minute. Something clicked in her; someone was asking for her help because she had the power to. She wouldn't be the leader her parents wanted her to be. If they wanted her to lead so badly then she would do so how she wanted to. "Alright," she said at last, nodding. "I'll try my best under the condition that you get the living fuck out of these woods. Those failed hybrids are gonna wake up soon."

Damon and Alaric were stunned. Elena's eyes beamed and she nodded furiously. She put faith in the ravenette, staring up at her like she was a warrior queen going into battle. "Consider us gone!"

"Are you-" Damon started. "What, no!" He shook his head. "Alaric, you get Elena out of here. I'm not leaving Nova." He jumped when her hand shot down at him. He stared up at her with confusion as her hand was held out to him and not meant to hit him.

Nova smiled, still holding her hand out to him. "I would love for you to fight by my side again. Just don't puss out." She winked.

"I didn't think it was gonna be that easy...okay," he shook his head and took her hand. She pulled him up right behind her. Sometimes he forgot she was twice as strong as he was.

* * *

Klaus was seething. He grabbed Stefan by the throat and shoved him against a tree. "First you can't detatch yourself from that girl and your miserable hometown and now you know a giant golden wolf and her sidekick the bloody SuperNova?!"

Stefan groaned. "Damon and I knew her when we were all still human. She came to us in 1860 for refuge. I've only heard rumors of the wolf being her long time friend Lethia. I didn't know it was true!"

"It is!" He shoved Stefan again. "Do you know the things those girls have done? The tragedies they've seen? They are relentless. Almost worse than me. Tell me, Stefan, do you at least know where little Nova hails from?"

He shook his head. "All I know is that she's from Romania and it was bad enough for her to come to America." _Damon was the one who helped her clean up her English…_

"She is a Vasile," the hybrid snarled in venomously in his face. "They were dark royalty in Romania for centuries!"

"Yeah, well, I ended that." Nova stared down at Klaus, knowing Damon's eyes were on his brother. "My parents were tyrannical beasts solely out for power. I made sure I let them down in every way possible." She smirked.

"Come back for round two little Vasile?" Klaus taunted. "Why don't you jump down off your wolf friend and away from your knight so we can go for round two?"

"I certainly would love to blow some steam by knocking you around the Smoky Mountains but I haven't got time for that. I gave someone my assurance that Stefan would be coming with me."

"Be a good little queen and barter for him," he smirked. He didn't miss the way her lip curled when he called her a queen.

Damon could feel her tense at the queen comment. So she was Romanian royalty; did that mean she was a queen to be to some awful lineage? He held tightly to her. "Don't listen to him."

"He's right though," she never took her eyes off the hybrid. "It's only fair to sit down and meet and barter like civil leaders."

"You are not standing down there alone with Klaus Mikaelson," he hissed protectively.

She didn't turn and face him; she only grabbed his hand on her thigh. "I need you to trust and have faith in me right now, _iubițel_."

Damon frowned and released his grip on her. He couldn't say no when she spoke to him in her native tongue the same way she couldn't when he spoke Italian to her. She swung her leg over and he grabbed her close one last time before she leaped down. " _Stai attentissimo, dolcezza,_ " he whispered in her ear, nuzzling her hair.

She smiled softly and touched his face, kissing his cheek. " _Nu te teme, iubițel_."

* * *

 **Translations:**

 _dragă_ \- Romanian - dear/honey

 _A mea -_ Romanian - mine

 _Câine_ \- Romanian - dog

 _Ucide_ \- Romanian - kill

 _iubițel_ \- Romanian - sweetheart, lover

 _Stai attentissimo, dolcezza_ \- Italian - Be careful, sweetheart

 _Nu te teme, iubițel_ \- Romanian - Don't be afraid, my love


	3. This is a Wild Game of Survival

03: This is a Wild Game of Survival.

Nova took a breath when her feet hit the ground. She stood tall and walked regally over to Klaus. She got flashes to her childhood. She could almost feel her tiara on her head again, her cloak and gown dragging on the floor behind her. As she stared up at him she could feel the predator; the way he eyed her hungrily. He offered to take a small walk with her where a log was down near the river so they could sit. She turned and looked over her shoulder, nodding first quickly at Lethia and offering Damon a small smile.

"I hadn't heard the Vasile name in ages," Klaus commented as they neared the area. "I'd believed they'd all died."

"They did," she told him darkly. "I killed them myself." She sat at one end of the log, staring out at the water.

"Took a page out of your sire's book then."

"I was going to eventually in my life whether I was turned or not. That just happened to be a helpful accident."

"Tell me, luv, how did that come to be anyways? What was so horrible that they did to make you flee to America? I assume it has something to do with why you're such a magnificent vampire."

Her eyes never left the water. "I'm not exactly sure what they did," she half lied. "They didn't deserve the territory they ruled, the power they were given. They abused it and tried to make me become something I'm not. So I stowed away on a ship I knew was headed to the Americas and got off at the first stop which happened to be Mystic Falls. I was nineteen."

He smirked and chuckled. "You're a brave little thing. Stefan managed to tell me that you sought refuge with their family."

She nodded, nearly smiling at the memory that surfaced. "Damon had found me stumbling off the ship."

* * *

[Flashback; Mystic Falls, 1860]

Nova practically fell off of the boat, still trying her best to remain hidden. She leaned against a stack of heavy crates with a hand over her chest. She'd never been on a boat before; clearly she was not equipped to. She thought she had gathered herself and took a step forward, immediately realizing she was not good. Nausea hit her like a brick and she dove to the side of the pier to throw up. In the midst of her heaves she heard someone laugh and pull her hair back.

"Someone clearly does not have their sea legs," a young man teased her.

She groaned and sat on the edge of the pier wiping her mouth with a black handkerchief from her sleeve. She noticed him sit beside her and looked at him from the corner of her eyes. She immediately had to look the other way. "No, sir, I cannot say that I do."

He leaned close to her with a big smile, causing her to jump. "You have a very thick accent; is it Romanian?" A hand flew to her mouth, emerald eyes wide. He laughed. "No, no, please don't be embarrassed! I really like your accent. I think it's almost as beautiful as your eyes."

In the depths of her mind, Nova was swooning uncontrollably. She'd only ever heard awful things about the Americas but her first step on their land and a handsome young man was already helping her and making her blush. She kept her hand over her mouth, trying to hide the blush and smile. "You are too sweet to an immigrant girl you do not know."

He still smiled and rubbed the back of his neck before cursing himself and holding his hand out to her. "How rude of me! Name's Damon, Damon Salvatore. Welcome to Mystic Falls."

Hesitantly she moved her hand from her face to shake his hand. She nearly fell in the water when he gently kissed the back of her hand. She had to mentally scream at herself to remain composed. She started to stutter. "O-oh, I-I- my name is Nova," she avoided eye contact; he still hadn't let go of her hand. "Nova Vasile. And yes," she smiled softly, "I am here from Romania."

Damon adored the way the blue water reflected off of her green eyes. Her hand was so small and pale in his. "Have you come here to stay with family? I haven't heard of your family in town before."

Her expression saddened. "No, actually...I-I snuck onto that ship to escape Romania…" She was surprised when she heard him laugh but the sound made her smile softly.

"Brilliant!" He complimented her. "Whatever happened to you in Romania is in the past now, okay?" She looked up at him, mesmerized by his ice blue eyes and dashing smile. "Your home is here in Mystic Falls. You can stay with my family! We could use a woman's influence around the house since my mother passed a couple of years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that…"

He kissed her hand again and she nearly fainted into the water. "Do not be, Nova. Come," he stood, pulling her to her feet. "I promise you will feel right at home."

* * *

[Present]

"Giuseppe Salvatore took pity on me the second he saw me," she shook her head. "Damon had tried to talk to him and he wouldn't hear it until he saw this skinny little girl in a tattered black dress looking sicker than he last saw his wife on her deathbed. He immediately called for the town doctor to look me over, he sent Stefan and Damon to find me new gowns, made a massive dinner; he practically adopted me. Damon taught me how to read and write better English. It managed to impress Giuseppe."

"You must know Katherine Pierce then. She blew through town in 1864 I believe?"

Nova nodded, spite in her eyes. "Yes she did. She ruined everything I started to build like a kid kicking down a block tower." Klaus chuckled. "I knew what she was the moment I laid eyes on her. We had vampires in Romania and thanks to my family I knew a great deal about them. I'd heard about Katherine Pierce before; _Katerina Petrova._ Bulgarian _curva_ ," she spat.

"Sounds like you've got some personal animosity towards her," he smirked, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

She licked her lips, flicking her tongue against her teeth. "She messed with the Vasile family a long time ago. I'm just the only one that wants retribution."

Klaus nodded slowly and silence fell over them. "So you want Stefan back," he finally spoke. "What for exactly?"

"He's Damon's brother," she replied; still not a technical lie. "Damon is my best friend." She looked at him with cut eyes when he started to snicker.

"Alright luv, say that's the case. You have your reasons why. What are you willing to sacrifice to have him for your precious Damon?"

"What do you want for him?" _Gods this sounds awful,_ she thought. _Trading people like belongings…_ She mentally shook her head.

Klaus was quiet. Something that set Nova on edge. "Well," he started, lips curving into a smirk, "you want to take my travel company away. I need someone in his place. I have a trip already planned you see. I need my plus one." He looked down at her wolfishly.

Her lips pressed into a tight line as she looked up at him. This was not how she intended her return to Mystic Falls and Damon to be. She thought of Elena and the pleading look in her brown eyes for her lover back. She recalled feeling the same in 1953 about Damon. She never gave up on him just like Elena will never give up on Stefan. It wouldn't be long; she could easily vanish whenever she pleased and deal with the consequences after. There was also the matter of Stefan's wolf bite from Lethia; a bite that only _her_ blood could heal just as Klaus' could regular wolf bites.

With a heavy sigh she begrudgingly held her hand out to him. "I will stand in place of Stefan for you to release him back to Mystic Falls to Damon but you need to give me time to pack and make sure Stefan heals from Lethia's bite. Only my blood can do that."

Klaus smirked with arrogance and victory as he took her hand. "You've got yourself a deal, luv."

* * *

"She is coming," a woman with straight, blonde hair and hazel eyes assured Damon. "She knew all along what the outcome would be."

Damon paced around the boarding house as Stefan groaned in pain on the couch with Elena at his side. After Nova had disappeared into the woods with Klaus her wolf snatched up Stefan with him and took off running until they met Elena and Alaric back home. "She's with Klaus Mikaelson, Lethia!" Damon argued. "Who knows what kind of bargain her dumbass is going to make?"

Lethia put a hand comfortingly on his shoulder, staring him in the eyes. "My life is tied to hers, Damon. I know when she is in trouble and she is not. She will be here shortly to heal Stefan and settle everything. She knew she was getting Stefan home one way or another."

"And I did." Damon ran and hugged the ravenette in the doorway. She hugged him back with a small smile before heading to the younger brother. Elena jumped a little when Nova's fangs popped out but her face didn't change. Through Stefan's fever and darkening vision he noticed it as well. She bit into her wrist and pressed it to his mouth. Within seconds Lethia's bite that had spread venomously was gone.

"Thank you, Nova," Elena told her softly, starting to cry.

She nodded solemnly. "All I ask is that you two don't make me regret it. That means some serious rehab, Stefan. I know what Klaus made you do."

"What's he making _you_ do?" Damon asked her with a hint of fear in his voice. He gently grabbed her shoulder, spinning her so she faced him. "What did you give up for Stefan?"

Nova sighed and took his hand, pulling him towards the stairs with a nod to Lethia. The blonde returned the nod and took a seat near Stefan and Elena on a chair. She closed the door behind them, leaning against it while he sat on the end of his bed. She bit her lip nervously. "Someone had to take Stefan's place with Klaus in order for him to come home," she told him.

"No," he shook his head, immediately standing. "No," he repeated, staring at her.

"I don't have a choice, Damon. I gave him my word just as I gave Elena my word that I'd get him home."

"Since when do you give a shit about something for Elena or even Stefan? Let alone sacrificing yourself for them!"

"I didn't do it for them," she snapped, stepping forward. "I did it for you! Your brother and his girl that looks like the same bitch you fell for the first time. I came back to Mystic Falls at a terrible time, I get it. You're working to protect Elena, your brother, and this town. I'll be your martyr so you can have your fairy tale."

He grabbed her face, pulling her close to him. "You've always been my fairy tale, Nova. My beautiful, happily tragedy ever after. I will not let you sacrifice yourself for people that don't matter to you. I won't let them be the cause of you leaving again, let alone to Klaus."

"Damon," she sighed, putting her hands on his. Tears welled in her eyes though she refused to let them spill. "That's what a queen does - she sacrifices for her people. She keeps them happy and cared for."

"I don't give a damn," he argued. "I don't give a damn if you were meant to be a Vasile queen or whatever. I didn't care about your past when I found you on the dock and it's sure as hell not getting involved over a century later. You are not a queen. Not here. You're only a queen to me." She almost smiled. "You are not going wherever with Klaus Mikaelson. Please."

She looked up at him, the tears nearly spilling at the pleading look in his eyes. He was genuinely begging her not to go. She opened her mouth to speak, but what could she possibly say?

"I am that selfish, Nova," he told her. "I'm the selfish one. I can't be what other people want me to be. What _she_ wants me to be. I'm not a hero and you're the only one that knows that. And I'll be damned if I just let you walk off into the lion's den!"

She smiled sadly and leaned into him. "I don't deserve you," she muttered. "I promise I will come back to you, Damon. We don't give up on family. Let me do this and I will make it home to you. Trust me, please, Damon."

She could see how tight his jaw was set, the way his lip twitched. She opened her mouth to speak again and that time he kissed her. Her breath caught in her throat, emerald eyes wide as tears flowed helplessly down her pale cheeks. Slowly her eyes fluttered shut.

* * *

[Flashback; Mystic Falls, 1863]

"It's not fair!" Young Nova protested, eyes glistening with tears. "What does going to war even do, huh? It could get you killed! Let me talk to Giuseppe! Please, Damon!"

He laughed a little and swept her into his arms, smoothing down her long, onyx hair. He tilted her head up to look at him and wiped the tears from her face. "Not even you will change his mind, _dolcezza_ ," he told her softly, smiling down at her. "I will be back before you know it. I promise."

"You do not know that," she sniffled. "You could be shot or taken prisoner or-"

"I see you've been talking to Stefan," he laughed. "I have to do this, Nova. And I can do it. I will return home to you but you have to trust me, sweetheart. Can you do that? For me?"

Her bottom lip was jut out, twitching with her sorrow. She still didn't fully understand the war between the North and South but Giuseppe had just volunteered Damon to the battlefield. She hated the way he made her swoon inside. Her heart ached at the thought of him being gone, let alone for how long. It could be weeks, months, years; she could get a letter saying he'd died in battle. It was honorable way to go, sure, but she wasn't about to let Damon Salvatore die. Especially not for some dumb war.

He opened his mouth to speak, to try and soothe her worries again, when she threw herself at him. He could feel her warmth against his chest, her small arms wrapped around his neck. She kissed him with tears running down her cheeks. He realized her lips were as soft as he'd wondered. He pulled her close and kissed her back, smiling against her lips.


	4. Crippled by a Life So Tragic

04: Crippled By a Life So Tragic.

It had been three hours into the drive in absolute silence when Klaus finally spoke. "I'm surprised you showed."

Nova resisted the urge to roll her eyes and continued staring out the window. "Three hours of silence and that's what you open with? We made a deal; I gave you my word. I was raised by animals but they were royal animals that taught me to be some kind of leader."

"I would have figured Damon convinced you to stay and fight instead. You already had Stefan."

"He did try," she admitted quietly. "But in the end he trusts my judgement and that I can handle you."

He chuckled. "I must admit that you can hold your own - even up against myself. How'd you get to be so strong, luv? You're even younger than Damon and Stefan. Stefan's even a Ripper. Where's all that marvelous strength of yours come from?"

"My parents were determined to make and keep me strong," she replied vaguely. "I was next in line for the throne and they didn't want me to be fragile. They took it too far and that's when I fled. Apparently becoming a vampire only made what they did amplified." She shrugged.

"How'd you turn?"

She finally rolled her eyes. "What is this, 20 Questions?" She snapped.

"I knew Stefan very well, luv," he smirked at her. "Just trying to get to know my new company."

It was silent again between the two of them before Nova spoke. "Stefan had attacked me. I was losing a lot of blood. Damon gave me his and saved my life. Stefan came back twice as angry that Damon had saved me. I couldn't swim and he pushed me into deep water before fighting with Damon to keep him from saving me again. He was so blinded by bloodlust and rage that he didn't really realize I had Damon's blood in my system still. Damon dove in after me and pulled me to the surface but I wasn't breathing by that point. When I woke up I was in transition."

"Did you complete transition willingly or by the request of Damon Salvatore?"

"Bit of both," she admitted. "Damon originally hadn't wanted to turn. I wanted him to because I couldn't bear the thought of losing him but I wouldn't make him do something he didn't want to. I was just going to off myself after he was already gone. But Stefan made him so to make him feel better I offered my neck. When it came my turn to turn I felt the fear he must have as well. I knew, however, what had happened to me in Romania...I didn't know what would happen if I turned. But I couldn't leave Damon.  
"I tried desperately to cling to my humanity after. It took a lot for me not to kill. My strength and speed was even greater than Damon's. He never looked at me any different. He just stayed by my side as we adjusted to our new lives. He taught me to feed without killing or at least without losing myself in the kill. He would get himself into shenanigans and I'd have to talk or bust our way out." She smiled out at the trees she stared at, Damon's face coming to mind. "Stefan came back again."

Klaus was surprised and glanced over at her before back at the road. "He did?"

She nodded. "He thought I was dead." She chuckled sardonically. "It was 1912 - around fifty years later. Damon and I had returned to Mystic Falls for Zachariah's funeral. Damon was still pissed that he killed me and forced me to turn to begin with. He tried to talk Damon into having a drink when I came up. He looked like he had seen a real life ghost when he saw me on Damon's arm. I wore a black dress similar to the one in tatters I came to them in. Stefan freaked out really badly. It hadn't crossed his mind that I turned; he thought I was long dead. He panicked and held me underwater in a nearby river until I stopped breathing. Damon knocked him around a few times before diving in after me again. That time when he pulled me up Stefan was still sitting at the edge looking positively mortified. I remember hearing him scream when I awoke and gasped for air. After that I realized the only thing I had left to hold onto was Damon, not my humanity. Humanity wouldn't do either of us any good."

"I've heard tales about you and that wolfy friend of yours - Lethia Kross. I didn't expect for you to be so close with the Salvatores."

"Then I guess our plans worked. I got Lethia out of Estonia in 1930 while Damon and I traveled. She was from an old wolf pack out there that wanted to sacrifice her to some supposed god of theirs. We got her out of there and the three of us slaughtered whoever was left. They're my best friends, always have been; we're a team. She knew everything. In 1937 we made our way to Bucharest to get rid of whatever remained of my family."

"I take it that didn't go over too well."

"My parents were still there, still ruling with their asses on the same thrones as nearly a century before."

Even Klaus Mikaelson was rather surprised. "How?" he questioned. "Did they find some poor vampire to turn them?"

"Even worse than that."

* * *

[Flashback; Vasile Castle, Bucharest, 1937]

"Nova," the sick voice of her father echoed through the darkness. "We've been awaiting your turn, _dragă._ "

The torches on the walls ignited, illuminating through the dark. Nova stood with pride and her head held high; Damon and Lethia flanked her sides. Her hair reached the curve of her lower back, emerald eyes filled with hatred. Even Damon was rather shocked that her parents were still there until he looked up at them. Alina and Felix Vasile sat on their filthy, rusted thrones looking just as filthy and rusted themselves. They were alarmingly pale from never seeing the light of day, borderline skin and bone, thin hair, dirt all over, tattered clothes, hollowed out faces, and dried blood on their lips. Blood stained the floor and walls, splattered all over. They looked like sick marionettes.

"Tell me," Alina smiled, dark fangs peeking over her bottom lip, "who is this handsome man with you? Have you come to tell us you finally wed? Perhaps a grandchild?"

Damon resisted the urge to laugh; Nova snickered. "No, actually, you will never have grandchildren, _mamă_." Their already eerie and dark eyes widened. "You got your wish, that I would defeat eternity with limitless strength and power." A Cheshire grin spread across her face as the veins appeared beneath her darkening eyes. "I seem to have been in a horrible accident."

Felix jumped to his feet, a feat the three wasn't sure he could actually do. "You ran away like a coward to get yourself turned?!"

"And in America," Nova laughed. "If you two are the last ones standing then this should be easy. You look like you've already got one foot in the grave, why don't I help you get the other one there?"

Alina began to weep and fell to her knees out of her throne. "We did not want this for you, _dragă!_ We wanted you to be a great leader - a human leader!"

"What you did to me made me not human already!" She grabbed Felix by the throat harshly. "All you did was extend your own lives so your failure of a daughter could become a vampire and get rid of you herself. If I'd stayed and played your games would I look as you do now? Decrepit and hidden in the darkness?"

"How is it you walk in daylight if you are a strigoi?" Felix questioned under her grasp.

Nova groaned and threw her father back into his throne. "Strigoi do not exist, father!" He flinched back at her straight, fluent English. "Strigoi and Moroi are myths. Vampires are real. Witches are real." She held up a dark blue teardrop pendant around her neck. It was plated in silver on a silver chain and in its silver casing formed an 'N'. "This is a special stone spelled by a witch that allows me to see daylight. Damon has done more for me since I stepped foot in America than you two did in your attempt to raise me."

* * *

[Present]

Nova absentmindedly touched the necklace that still hung around her neck. Katherine had planned for the Salvatore brothers to turn and already had their daylight rings made. Damon had vanished one day while she slept and came back with the necklace for her. She still didn't know how he did it but he had it made specially for her with the 'N' plate just like his ring had a 'D' and Stefan's with an 'S'.

"My father struck me," she continued as she toyed with the pendant. "Damon didn't take too kindly to that." She smiled softly.

"You two have an awfully special friendship," Klaus smirked. "You sure there's nothing more between the two of you?"

"We've always been protective of one another." She shrugged.

"Ah but is it a strictly platonic kind of protective?"

Nova's cheeks turned bright red. She dramatically flipped on leg over another, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "That is hardly any of your business!"

He started to laugh. "I'll take that as a definite 'no' then. Come on, luv, the man has been hung up on Katherine Pierce for decades."

"That's why I left," she muttered. She sighed, still fiddling with her necklace anxiously. The last time she actually spoke to someone about all she'd seen was Lethia. "Flash forward to the spring of 1994; I found out he was still looking for Katherine, even after everything. All we'd seen, done, killed, taken, and made for ourselves. I freaked out and took off; I couldn't handle even the thought of her."

"You care about him," he stated with an unreadable expression.

She rolled her eyes. "No shit."

"Love is a vampire's greatest weakness."

Her cheeks turned pink. "Who the hell said anything about love?"

"Who didn't?" He smirked over at her.

* * *

"You're interrupting my drink," Damon greeted as he answered his phone.

"You miss me?"

He scowled. "Katherine. Where are you?"

"Lurking outside your window, pining away."

He rolled his eyes and sipped his bourbon. "What do you want?"

"I'm homesick. What have I missed?"

"Well, Stefan's home now no thanks to you."

"Ooh, did you and little Elena make a good enough tag team? Is there a threesome I'm missing out on?"

Damon chuckled. "No, actually, someone rather unexpected jumped in and helped with this kickass fighting, great leadership, and a giant wolf for a BFF. I think you might know her. Does the name Nova Vasile ring a bell?"

He smirked when he heard her snarl on the other end.

"Well that explains quite a bit then. And here I was calling you to tell you your old rebound was yucking it up with Klaus."

"Are you trailing them? How the hell do you know she's with Klaus?"

"A hybrid who wants me dead and his sidekick who's off the rails? I couldn't be further away."

"Which means you know exactly where they are. Where's Nova, Katherine?"

"All I know is that Klaus pitched a fit once his hybrids didn't work. Now he's looking for some answers with an obnoxious little black haired vampire by his side."

"How do you know that? Where is she?"

"Spend 500 years running, and there will be a few people along the way that are looking out for you."

"Is that what you're doing? Looking out for Nova? Thought you despised her."

"Oh don't get me wrong, I do. I've been contemplating tearing her head off her shoulders."

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her," he growled into the phone. "Or I will rip your heart from your chest."

"Be careful Damon, or people will begin to think you care more about her than Elena or I."

She hung up on him and he crushed the glass cup in his hand. Footsteps approaching him caught his attention. He found Lethia sitting on the table with a smirk. "Road trip?"

"I don't know where Klaus went with her," he sighed, cleaning off his hand.

"I do!" She sang, holding up a tablet. He stepped closer and saw a map with a red dot blinking. "Katherine called from Chicago." She winked. "I've become quite tech-savvy over the years. Now come on, let's go get our girl."

* * *

Nova made a face as she stared up at the neon sign with her arms crossed over her chest. "You took me on an almost twelve hour car ride to some bar?"

Klaus clapped her on the back. "Better than boat, isn't it, luv?" He laughed and walked into the bar, leaving her seething outside.

" _Pizdă_ ," she muttered before following him inside.

"So a hybrid walks into a bar," Klaus started, grinning at the bartender. Nova let out a loud groan behind him.

"Stop it," the woman hushed him playfully. "You may be invincible but that doesn't make you funny."

"Nothing does," the ravenette quipped with a sarcastic smile. "Certainly not a forced twelve hour car ride."

"I know you," the woman wagged her finger thoughtfully as she walked past Klaus to Nova. "You're the one people seem to call the 'SuperNova', aren't you, child?"

She rubbed the back of her head, grinning nervously. "Well, a supernova is the massive explosion of a star's life so I guess it's fitting with my career path in life…"

Gloria smiled and pointed at her necklace. "I know the spell coming off that necklace - a friend of mine just before my time was the one to do it. Said Damon Salvatore needed it for a beautiful young lady in an unfavorable situation. What are you doing with Klaus Mikaelson then?"

Her expression paled, lips twitching. She opened her mouth for a snarky remark about being kidnapped for helping a friend but Klaus threw his arm around her shoulders with a grin. She resisted the instinct to grab his arm and throw him over her. "I thought I'd have some more interesting company on my trips." She rolled her eyes. "Besides, she could use some fun in her life after spending so much time with riff raff like the Salvatores."

 _Slam._

Nova's eye twitched with rage as she stared at him on his back at her feet. She decided to avoid a table when she flipped him. "Watch your tongue when you speak about the family that actually cared for me. I don't give a damn who you think you are." She turned to Gloria apologetically. "I apologize for the display of violence in your establishment but he's a dick." She smiled.

Gloria laughed as Klaus stood with a scowl. "Don't. I know why you're here. A hybrid out to make more hybrids? That kind of news travels."

"Well he sucks at it." She shrugged. Gloria handed her and Klaus drinks.

The hybrid rolled his eyes and tried to ignore her. "What am I doing wrong? I broke the curse."

"Obviously you did something wrong. Look, every spell has a loophole, but a curse that old...We'd have to contact the witch who created it."

"Well, that would be the original witch. She's very dead."

"At least someone is," Nova muttered, sipping at her glass of rum and coke.

* * *

Stefan and Damon were flying down the highway in Damon's baby blue Camaro. Lethia surprised them when she pulled out keys to a 1967 Maserati. She grinned and told them it was a pastel gold convertible that she bought off the lot in 1967 and that she does all the regular maintenance on it. She forced the brothers together in Damon's car, calling dibs on a 'girl's ride' with Elena. Stefan and Elena were apprehensive at first but Damon and Lethia assured them she was 'a good noodle'. They had left before the girls but sure enough Damon found a pastel gold blur whizzing past him. He started to laugh.

"She got a specialized plate too?" Stefan muttered with bewilderment. "What the hell does that say?"

"California plate; it says 'LIL WOLF'," Damon laughed. "Well that finally explains it then."

"Explains what?"

"Nova got a Firebird with Nevada plates specially made. Hers reads 'B QUEEN'."

"B. Queen?"

Damon looked over to his brother with a grin. "Blood Queen and her Little Wolf."

* * *

In the Maserati Lethia had music blaring from the speakers, bass thumping deeply. She tapped the steering wheel to the beat, singing loudly to Taylor Swift's 'Welcome to New York'. Elena couldn't help but smile and relax; the blonde wolf didn't seem so bad. She laughed as they passed by the boys and Lethia flipped them the bird. "I'm sure you've got a list of questions longer than a child's Christmas list to Santa so feel free to ask. I've got nothing to hide, really. But some things aren't for me to tell you so I'll let you know. I recommend avoiding questions that involve Nov's life too deeply."

Elena was surprised but not about to pass up the opportunity. "How do you and Nova know each other?"

The blonde smiled, still dancing and tapping to the music she barely turned down (just enough to hear and speak without screaming). "I was born in a small Estonian village in 1914." She grinned at Elena's shock. "I know, right? Wolves aren't supposed to live that long!" She laughed. "Well my pack was a special one and by special I mean they were absolute lunatics and I'm special because of it." She laughed again. "The Kross wolves are a large breed to begin with; our runts are the size of your average werewolf. Some have the strength to force their turn on nights that the moon isn't full and some have the strength to stop from turning on the full moon. Lethia and Damon came to Estonia in 1930 when I was 16 and stumbled across my village. The elders knew what they were and planned to kill them. They had stepped on sacred ground during a ceremony which I am still thankful for to this day."

"Why's that?"

"I was in the ceremony - I was a sacrifice so the elders could keep their power and the clan would be blessed with the continued abilities I mentioned. Even people that weren't capable of that still went along with the sacrifice every year. I managed to get away when I was 15 - that's when it's supposed to be done - but they brought me back for 16 and the hope of leniency from the gods. Nova thought their ideals were fucked and wanted to save me. Damon was right there by her side. They slaughtered even the largest of wolves and elders that came for them mercilessly like a king and queen." She smiled at the memory.

"Why did it have to be you for the sacrifice?"

"Because I could shift at will and I was bigger than the elders."

Elena blinked. "So you've always been-?"

Lethia laughed some more. "Yes, I have. Only once every random chunk of time does it supposedly happen and because that person can do all that they must contain the most of the clan's energy and therefore must be the sacrifice." She rolled her eyes. "It's why I ran - shit doesn't make any sense. I'm pretty sure the elders just didn't want to be upstaged." She snickered.

She nodded slowly, taking everything in. "Damon had mentioned you were linked to Nova…?"

The blonde nodded. "After Nova and Damon saved me she and I became close. I mean close. We both realized how similar our lives had been in one way or another and we bonded immediately. The three of us traveled and protected each other. Damon's kind of like an obnoxious brother for me since he tore the head off my blood brother about to sacrifice me." Another laugh. "In 1937 we went to Bucharest to get rid of whatever might remain of the Vasile line - Nova's family. I was about to turn 23. When we got there," she shook her head. "Her parents were still alive and let me tell you that was not pretty."

"How were they still alive? I mean, I'm no genius at math, but I thought Nova was from the 1800s…"

"She is, and they were as well. All I can tell you is that they were some sick, sick fucks playing around with the supernatural. Especially vampires. But they never wanted to be vampires, they wanted to be superior than even that. They wanted to be superhuman instead of what they thought were monsters."

"But they turned themselves into monsters."

Lethia nodded. "Oh yeah they did. And they weren't going down without a fight. They knew it'd be more difficult to kill Nova but not me or Damon. They were going to link her to Damon but I got in the middle and took the spell instead."

"Why would you do that?"

She looked over at the brunette with a smile. "I knew the repercussions of the spell. I wasn't going to let that happen to my king and queen."


	5. You're Loving On the Murderer

05: You're Loving On the Murderer Sitting Next to You.

"So women in the 21st century dress like prostitutes, then. You know, I got dirty looks for wearing trousers."

Nova snickered, mindlessly looking through clothes. "I got whipped for wearing combat boots. Twice as bad when I lashed out again wearing trousers _and_ the boots."

Rebekah smiled at the ravenette. Since her brother finally undaggered her, she and Nova had been harassing him nonstop. She didn't mind Nova, Vasile or not. They had swiped his credit card and gone shopping together. "What is this music? It sounds like a cable car accident."

She chuckled. "Dubstep." She shook her head as the song ended. "Not all music today is awful. Just most of it." As she looked through some blouses she found herself dancing a little to the new song playing.

The blonde original started to laugh. "Well it seems you like this one!"

The ravenette stopped and realized what was playing. She laughed. "This is Taylor Swift. This song has been rammed into my head because it's my best friend's favorite song - Welcome to New York. She's a sucker for Taylor Swift."

"Who's your best friend?" She made a small face and tossed Nova some clothes. "And are you ever going to try anything on?"

"I thought we were here for you since your jackass brother kept you in a box for like 90 years."

"And you don't want to help me max out his credit card?" She smirked. "Come on, surely you can find something to catch the eye of that boyfriend of yours." She winked.

Nova's cheeks flamed red, emerald eyes wide. "B-boyfriend? No, no," she waved her hands around to solidify the 'no'. "I'm totally on the market. Have been for basically ever and I rather like it that way."

"Huh," Rebekah put a hand on her hip, eyeing the girl up and down. "I wouldn't have guessed by the way you shut Nik down constantly. Something about you just screams 'taken'." She shrugged. "There must be someone in your life you're close to that should be your boyfriend then."

Nova immediately thought of Damon. She spun on her heel towards a dressing room. "Nope, just a couple of really amazing friends over the decades."

Rebekah leaned against the dressing room door with a smirk. "Does one of those people happen to be Damon Salvatore?" She heard the girl drop everything in her arms and snickered. "Nik told me Stefan was supposed to be here; he used to be an old flame of mine, you see, and a good friend of Nik's. Said you bargained yourself to return Stefan home to Mystic Falls with his brother Damon."

"Damon and I have been friends since I came to America. The Salvatores took me in kindly."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be vague with me, Nova. I know there's underlying meanings when people are vague. I've walked this Earth for a thousand years. There's more than even you apparently care to admit. So come on, between us girls, tell me about your relationship with Damon. Maybe...maybe I can help?"

Nova blinked as she stared at her reflection. She had sat on the floor in her bra and panties surrounded by clothes, unsure of what to put on. She had been on the fence about Rebekah from the get go but as time passed (albeit not much) she saw herself and Lethia in the blonde. She came from some kind of power with regalty, seen shit in her life that made her toughen up, but she was still a happy go lucky girl inside. She took a breath, heart thumping a little harder in her chest.

"He'd been there since day one." Rebekah smiled when Nova spoke. "All my life I'd heard how disgusting and terrible America was but when I got off the boat I was puking my brains out and this handsome stranger just came up behind me and held my hair. He showed me more kindness in ten minutes than I'd seen in nineteen years. He offered me a home, taught me proper English, was there every time I had a nightmare, and then fell in love with Katherine Pierce." She sighed.

Rebekah frowned. "Keep talking."

Nova rubbed her face and held her head in her hands. She decided to allow herself to be vulnerable to Rebekah. She would obviously end up talking to Lethia eventually too, considering that blonde knew twice as much as Rebekah ever would, but Lethia was more likely to go back to Damon. "Just...just keep this between the two of us, please?"

She smiled. "You have my word, Nova. Girl talk."

The ravenette took a deep breath. "I used to get nightmares so bad to the point that Damon would just sleep in the same bed as me. It was taboo as all hell so we had to be stealthy about it. He'd even lace up my corsets in the morning." She smiled at the memory. "I fell on my face the first few times I wore heels and swiped a pair of his boots. He laughed and didn't tell Giuseppe. But then fucking Katherine blew into town and both Stefan and Damon dropped to their knees for the bitch!"

"Both of them?" Rebekah mused. "What a bloody slut!"

Nova laughed. "Right? For fuck's sake she even had to compel Saint Stefan. That's what always killed me about Damon - she never compelled him." She sighed. "He genuinely fell in love with her. And I could never understand why it hurt me so fucking badly. Every time I saw them together it felt like my chest was about to cave in. I knew who she was, she'd screwed over my family centuries ago. I...I've only ever told Lethia this but it wasn't Stefan who told Giuseppe that Katherine was a vampire. He was going to and I told him not to because of how upset Damon would be. When he finally walked off _I_ went and told Giuseppe who was part of the council. Immediately after they started rounding up the vampires.  
"I chased after them when they ran out to rescue Katherine. Giuseppe caught me in Damon's boots and held me back, aiming his gun at his own boys. I'll never forget hearing it go off twice and the way I screamed. I lashed out and fought him for his gun, shooting him in the leg and running off to help the boys. It killed me still that they had Katherine's blood in their system to turn them but at least they'd be alive. At least Damon would be alive. But when he woke and didn't want to complete transition I made the immediate decision, even after promising him I'd live on, that if he died I was going to as well."

Rebekah smiled softly. Nova had fallen in love with Damon when she was still human. She could only imagine all that had happened since she turned. "I want you to put on the navy pants, and black Nordstrom sweater. I'm going to find you accessories and shoes. Keep talking!"

She dug through the clothes until she found the pants and shirt she was told to put on. With a shrug she wiggled into the tight but nicely fitting jeans. "We've traveled together for decades now," she continued, looking in the mirror at how the jeans fit her. She nodded; her behind looked pretty nice! By 1960 we'd seen so much shit we both just turned it off and pounded the pavement. I actually own an apartment out here still; I used to co-own a vampire friendly nightclub. Did some underground gambling, saved money because I was the entertainment," she shrugged.

The blonde stopped while she was looking through shoes. "Entertainment?"

Nova snckered. "Nothing inappropriate, although I did try that once. Not my favorite - the poles were slimey. And did you know the strippers don't actually spin? The pole does!" She shook her head and put on the sweater. "I was the lounge singer."

"You can sing?"

She nodded and Rebekah tossed over a dark green scarf and box of shoes, surprisingly in her size. She either looked at Nova's shoes herself or was really good with clothes. "Damon can too. Sometimes we would duet." She smiled softly and slipped the scarf over her head. "Even when I stopped having nightmares I couldn't get him out of my bed. 'I got so used to you,'" she mocked with a laugh. "'I'm not just sleeping alone now.'" She laughed again when she opened the box of shoes. "Combat boots. Much appreciated."

Rebekah laughed a little and tossed her a dark emerald pea coat. "They suit you best, I can tell. Besides, they're best for violence, are they not?"

"Oh they are," Nova grinned as she laced up the shoes. "I have stomped many throats and faces in wearing combat boots." She slipped on the jacket and exited the dressing room, doing a little spin for her new friend. "Alright, what do you think?"

"Perfect!" She beamed.

* * *

"What is this place?" Elena questioned as they walked down the hall of an old apartment complex.

"Yes, Damon," Stefan agreed. "What is this place? It's the other side of the block where I…" He trailed off with guilt and shame.

Damon pulled a green key on a small chain from his pocket and stopped at the door numbered 533. Lethia was right behind grinning; she knew very well where they were and also had a green key. "This is Nova's apartment," he told them as the door opened. "She still has it for when she's out here. Lethia and I both have keys." The blonde pulled a chain from beneath her shirt and showed the key dangling off the end. "She knew very well where your stomping grounds were too. She co-owned a club out here - Delirium - before the one in New York."

"How long was she in Chicago…?" Stefan asked apprehensively.

"She first came here in 1920." The younger brother seemed to flinch. "We had separated for a little bit on mutual terms just to get things done. She wanted to start out here and I had a couple other things not in Chicago to do."

"Searching for Katherine," Lethia muttered with a small glare and her arms crossed. "Don't think I don't know. Nov tells me everything."

Damon rolled his eyes; he already figured Lethia knew everything. He kept wandering about the still well kept apartment, looking at various pictures of himself and Nova through the years on the walls. "I joined her in 1922." He turned to his brother with a small smirk when he saw the look of horror on his face.

Lethia's ears perked up and her eyes seemed to glow gold. "We need to get out of here or hide. Like five minutes ago."

"What's going on?" Elena asked with a hint of fear.

"I told you that Nova and I are linked," the blonde explained as her eyes returned to normal. "We can sense one another just as well as if something happens it happens to both. We've practiced over the years. She's coming and Klaus is with her, I could see it. I just hope she couldn't channel back and if she did then Klaus didn't notice."

* * *

Nova was thankful she also grabbed sunglasses and hadn't taken them off yet. The moment she reached the second floor she channeled Lethia. She could see the blonde in her apartment. She'd be damned if she allowed Klaus to get his hands on her. So as they walked up the stairs she started to slow down and walk more leisurely. Only after the channeling stopped did she take off her sunglasses, cursing quietly that Lethia had followed her. She wasn't terribly surprised as the girl had gotten incredibly equipped with technology over the years. There never was hiding from Lethia every time they had to part ways.

"Your old apartment is near Stefan's," Klaus commented with a smirk. "How funny."

"I was here first," she replied coldly. "In 1920. He blew in two years later and started screwing everything up." She hesitantly took her emerald key out of her pocket as she stared up at the number 533 mockingly on her door. She could only pray that Lethia had hidden or left. Biting her lip she unlocked and opened the door with Klaus and Rebekah standing behind her. She closed her eyes until the door swung open, exhaling in relief when the living room was empty and untouched. She could still smell the lingering of Lethia's perfume, one she had stolen from that very apartment years ago.

"Have you been here recently?" Rebekah asked as she walked in, looking around. "It still smells like perfume."

"I was here just before returning to Mystic Falls, actually." That was at least the truth. "I try to keep this place as clean and fresh as I can just like the other flats I still own." She took off her jacket and went to the back closet to put it away. Her breath caught in her throat when she found _Elena and Stefan_ hiding in her closet. She froze, staring wide eyed with the jacket still in hand, screaming in her mind.

' _What the fuck?!'_ She mouthed to them with panic. Elena quickly snatched her coat and mouthed an ' _I'm so sorry!'_ back. The ravenette facepalmed as she shut the door and returned to the living room.

 _Fuck!_ Nova screamed in her mind, keeping it off of her face. _Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why the fuck are_ they _here?! Are they here with Lethia? Is she somewhere else? Did she run?_ An even worse idea struck her. _Is Damon here too…?_

"You've got an awful lot of photos of Damon," Klaus commented as he looked at each framed picture on her walls. "Even more than Lethia it seems."

She also looked around at all the photos and smiled softly. It was the first time she realized just how many frames were on her walls and even more were in the bedroom. She didn't miss the way Rebekah seemed to grin. She shrugged. "Like I told you, we've been best friends since 1860. A lot of time, a lot of forced pictures. He got me a polaroid camera the second it was on the market so I would stop with the obnoxious old ones." She laughed a little. "That's actually that picture right there." She pointed over to one in a little black frame on the wall. It was of just Damon, holding his hand out to hide his face and clearly blinded by the flash.

"Why'd you leave him then?"

Rebekah shot him a glare and Nova scowled. "I told you why."

The blonde was confused. "What are you talking about?"

Nova sighed and sat on the counter. "Damon and I had separated a few times mutually. We always met back up in barely three years, five max. Like when I came to Chicago; I had a business deal and he had other business but he found me by 1922. In March 1994 I found out every time we separated was because he was searching for Katherine. I lost my mind and I…" She bit her lip. "I left. I abandoned him."

"He was still looking for the woman who lied to him and broke his heart," the blonde soothed. "I personally would have ripped his heart out."

She shook her head. "I knew, though. Somehow I just knew she weaseled her way out and she wasn't in that tomb. It was Katherine Pierce, she wasn't going to be taken to rot in a tomb. And I wasn't even there when he found out. I should have been and I left. I left my best friend to get hurt again and again after all he'd done for me."

Klaus walked over to her and cupped her cheek in his hand, rubbing it with his thumb gently. "You can't blame yourself for his idiocy, luv."

She pulled her face away and shook her head again, jumping off the counter. "I have for years. It's my biggest regret in life, honestly."

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her closer to him. He was irritated that she'd been blowing him off _and_ talking about Damon all day. She talked about him so highly yet completely denied anything romantic. She wasn't going to just evade him. She was a Vasile. He knew exactly what that meant. "You're not going to get anywhere clinging to something and someone who did not show you the same loyalty you gave."

She opened her mouth to scold him when he pulled her closer and kissed her. Her eyes widened with rage and horror; her heart thumped loudly in her ears. All she could see was Damon in her memory. Nova shoved him hard in his chest, knocking him back. She wiped her mouth with the sleeve over the back of her hand. Tears started to well in her eyes and she started to shake. "I love Damon. It's always gonna be Damon." Without another word she stormed off towards the back of the apartment into her bedroom and slammed the door shut, clicking the lock after.

"Way to go, Nik," Rebekah hissed with her hands on her hips. "Get moving. The poor girl needs space; it's taken her well over a century to finally admit that she is in love with bloody man." She ushered her brother out of the apartment before he could protest.

Once it was silent Stefan and Elena crept out of the closet. Lethia and Damon nearly fell out of the kitchen pantry, scrambling towards Nova's bedroom. The blonde jumped around reaching for something on the top of the doorframe. Damon reached up and grabbed the key with ease, making her pout. Stefan and Elena joined them as the door was unlocked and opened. The elder brother burst into the room, calling Nova's name, and stopped in his tracks. The window was wide open, curtains blowing in the wind. Nova had ran. Lethia started cursing wildly in Estonian; Damon stared at the open window with a broken look in his eyes.


	6. Don't You Dare Surrender

06: Don't You Dare Surrender.

Nova sat in a special section of Delirium with a vampire friendly raspberry martini, staring off absentmindedly. She watched the crowd dance to the music pounding through the speakers. "I need a gangsta," she sang quietly to the song as she mindlessly stirred the martini, "to love me better than all the others do. To always forgive me, ride or die with me, that's just what gangstas do…"

Everything seemed to slow down when she sensed them walk in. And she could feel it, there was no mistake. They likely couldn't see one another through the crowd, but they both found her. Her eyes made no mistake in finding Damon's ice blue first and never moved. She brought the martini to her lips, still staring at him over the glass. She could feel Klaus' eyes on her. She blinked and her lashes brushed the tops of her cheeks. Her heart beat madly inside of her chest. Slowly she rose to her feet and walked to the edge of the small section reserved for herself. She took a breath and ran through the crowd.

Right for Damon.

He reached for her just as she cleared the crowd. They nearly touched and she was promptly swept away, kicking and screaming. Klaus grabbed her around the waist, holding her tightly to him just off the floor. Everyone stopped and the music fell silent. Almost all of them knew at least one, if not all three, of them. She screamed at him in Romanian; Damon recognized a few of the nasty words.

"Tell me, luv," Klaus hissed in her ear dangerously, "just how much do you value Damon's life, hm?"

"If you don't let her go," Damon growled, "I swear to god…"

"You want to return to Mystic Falls?" Klaus still spoke to Nova. "Go right ahead, I already planned on going myself. The question is what I'll do when I get there." He looked to Damon. "I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die, but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so…"

He shrugged, still glaring icily at him. "What can I say? I'm a thrill seeker."

The hybrid nodded and tossed Nova a few feet away onto her arse. He stomped over to Damon and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the floor. With his free hand he grabbed a toothpick and shoved it into Damon's side. "Oh, dear, what was that? I'm boozey, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries."

Nova leaped to her feet and pulled at Klaus' arm. "Let him go, Klaus!" She cried. "What more do you want?"

Without releasing Damon he looked at her. "You want to keep Mystic Falls and your precious Salvatores safe? Marry me."

" _What?_ " Damon choked under his grasp.

Nova fell back a couple of steps, her legs shaking and eyes wide. "Wh-what…?"

Klaus smirked. "You're a Vasile, luv. And the very last. You know exactly what I want."

"Please," she begged, almost in a whisper. "Anything but that…"

"Those are my terms, luv. Agree to marry me and you can return to Mystic Falls with Damon if you wish. But sixty days after your return you have a grand Mystic Falls wedding and surrender the Vasile name to the Mikaelson."

Damon writhed under him, shaking his head furiously. "Don't do it, Nova! We'll figure something out!"

He knew. He knew what marrying the last Vasile daughter would bring him. Mystic Falls was her home in her heart whether she lived there or not. Damon was...Damon was not meant to be used as a threat. She bit the inside of her cheek; she didn't have a choice. Klaus took his eyes off of her to stab at Damon again. Nova reacted quickly and ripped a chunk of wood off of the bar, aiming for the hybrid. He growled and, even with one hand still choking Damon, snatched the wood from her hands and shoved her to the floor.

"You're testing my patience, luv," he barked at her and started to push the makeshift stake into Damon's abdomen. "Deal's still on the table but I'm going to have to alter it a bit." He twisted the wood; Damon cried out in pain. "Afraid I won't let you leave now but I'll spare Mystic Falls and Damon's life right now."

Tears flowed freely down Nova's pale face, stunning the crowd. Only a handful of people had ever witnessed Nova Vasile cry and most of them were dead. She was sitting up on her side helplessly on the floor with no way out. She looked incredibly human beneath Klaus Mikaelson. Damon kept pleading for her to not give into him no matter what. He knew he was falling on deaf ears but he couldn't stop. Nobody could see the few stray tears through the blood on his face.

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1859]

Nova was in a daze. She was sitting in her throne between her parents' but her wrists were tied to the arm rests with her sleeves hiding the restraints. Her legs were numb; she could barely move them. Her parents were smiling at her but the light had left their eyes. All she could see were monsters. Her mother placed her silver crown on her dark hair. For hours she was forced awake and to look nice in her throne as possible suitors went through her parents' tests. All she could do was scream in her mind.

"You are our only child, Nova," her mother told her at one point when there was a small break. She was fixing Nova's hair and crown again. "By tradition you will be merging with another powerful family. We cannot allow that to be just anyone. The Vasile bow to no one, do you understand me, _dragă?_ "

She couldn't and she wouldn't nod. She struggled to gain feeling in her legs, focusing deeply on it.

"Once your body adjusts to its improvements you will be the superior woman, the top of the food chain. It will not matter whom you marry because you will lead. Your children will follow in your footsteps and your husband will be long forgotten. You will be the perfect living, human black widow."

"Precisely why you will not marry beneath you," her father joined in. "Had we had a son the Vasile name would continue to dominate but being a woman you have more work cut out for you, girl. The moment Vasile is taken from your name you are to ensure you have children. Once you know you have that you conquer everything and I assure you that you will. By then you will have the ability to reclaim the Vasile name for yourself and your children to continue our line with power because those children will have the special blood you do."

She just wanted to throw up.

* * *

[Present]

Nova had never felt more vulnerable in her life. She sat on a queen sized bed with her knees to her chest. Her hair was in disarray, eyeliner and mascara smeared down her cheekbones with dried tears. She was back in Mystic Falls locked in a room sealed by magic. Klaus and Rebekah argued downstairs. If she looked close enough out the window she could see the boarding house in the distance. If her life wasn't tied to Lethia's she probably would have taken off her necklace when she saw the boarding house in the distance.

Lethia could feel her pain which only worsened her own. When she finally made it to the boarding house she watched Damon lose his mind. She turned and ran, jumping back in her car and speeding off. She couldn't handle it. She was going to unhinge.

As it turned out, Klaus was twice as angry because someone had killed Gloria before he could get any answers and frankly he was sick of the Salvatores in his life. It didn't matter what year it was or if she was a vampire; Nova Vasile was the only living Vasile left therefore making her the queen of their Bucharest territory. When she married him he would annihilate the Vasile name and be a king. She was too free willed and strong to stand toe to toe with him. On top of that he caught wind that Elena Gilbert was still alive. He would break Nova and her love for Damon Salvatore would make that easy.

"So what's this I hear about Elena being alive, luv?" He questioned her with a smirk, dragging her by the arm through the halls of Mystic Falls high.

"Get bent," Nova spat back venomously.

Klaus chuckled. Doors in front of them opened and Elena nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw them both. She looked immediately to Nova who's face begged her to run. Without question the brunette whipped it around and booked it down the all. Klaus moved after her. Nova yanked back from his grasp to give Elena a head start. He snarled and threw her into the metal doors before chasing down Elena.

"Go, Nova!" Elena cried.

Nova moved quicker than she ever had before in speeding out of the high school. She didn't stop or look back until she burst through the door of the boarding house. Stefan caught her before she fell on the floor out of breath. "Klaus is at the school and he found Elena!" She cried to the younger brother. "Where the hell are Damon and Lethia?"

Stefan's lips pursed into a tight line. "Lethia took off and Damon...he…"

Her body turned rigid, eyed cold and hard. It didn't take much to figure it out. She held out her hand to him. "Give me your phone," she demanded icily. He did so without question, fumbling the phone out of his pocket.

"I told you, Stefan-" Damon began on the other line.

"If you don't get back to Mystic Falls in the next ten minutes I will completely derail, hunt you down, and feed you that Bulgarian _curva_ 's heart if she's got one."

Damon blinked, jaw dropped slightly. He had one hand on the wheel and the other on his phone. He immediately slammed the brakes when he heard her voice. The line went dead and his phone slipped from his hand. In one quick motion he whipped his car around, heading back to Mystic Falls. Beside him Katherine arched a brow. "Dropping everything because she managed to escape once?"

He didn't take his eyes off the road, maxing out the speedometer. "Because she got away once on her own is why. She made it that far. Whether she needs me or not I'm going to help keep him away from her."

"What about your precious Elena?"

"Not even you have ever truly meant more to me than Nova, Katherine."

* * *

"I'm not sure what he will do to Elena but I'm positive he will come here for me in the midst of whatever it is he's doing," Nova told Stefan with panic. He noticed the way she seemed to seep back into her roots when she was afraid. Her accent seemed to show.

The front door was kicked right off the hinges. "You're quite right, luv," Klaus called through the boarding house.

Stefan pressed a finger to his lips and as silently as he could ushered her towards the stairs. As they reached the stairs he was shoved away from his place behind her. Klaus grabbed her by the arm but Stefan jumped to his feet immediately and tackled the hybrid into a wall. He hated to admit it but he was somewhat thankful for the human blood he'd been drinking. "Run, Nova!" He called to the raven haired vampire.

She was frozen in shock. Never in her life had she expected Stefan Salvatore to come to her rescue. She should have never needed rescuing to begin with. If her parents were rolling in their graves for anything it would be what a damsel in distress Nova had become. Cursing in her native tongue she looked apologetically to Stefan and ran for the front door (sans actual door). Just as the cool air hit her the sound of Stefan's neck being snapped resonated through her ears. Not a second later she was promptly stopped, Klaus' hand firmly around her throat and lifting her feet off the ground.

"The Vasile name really isn't so mighty after all, now is it?" He taunted her.

In a flash Nova was back at the school and thrown harshly into the gymnasium. She let out a small cry as she skidded against the floor. "Nova!" She heard Elena call. She forced herself to her feet, desperately hoping her legs wouldn't shake. Never in her vampire life had she felt so weak. Nobody was stronger than her, not even vampires twice her age.

But Klaus knew how to get in her head. He had found her only weakness.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," he spoke when Bonnie entered the gym. "Now we can get started." He turned to a couple of students and compelled them to go sit on the bleachers. "I assume you're the reason Elena is still alive?"

Nova went to Elena, immediately checking her for injuries. "Are you alright? What has he done?"

The brunette shook her head. "He compelled Chad and Dana to kill each other if I tried to leave the gym," she sobbed. "He told me he was going to get you. I'm so sorry, Nova."

"Don't be, kid, alright? Look at me." Elena looked up through the tears in her eyes. "I've seen some shit in my life. I'm not going down without a fight."

"Klaus knows," she sobbed. Nova furrowed her brows in confusion. "He knows you're in love with Damon. He knows he can use that against you."

"Get off of me!"

The girls turned and found Rebekah dragging Tyler Lockwood in. Nova jumped protectively in front of Elena and watched as Klaus forced the wolf his blood and snapped his neck. "I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake...You better hurry."

"He's...dead…" Elena gasped, watching over Nova's shoulder.

"Klaus' blood will turn him," the ravenette explained solemnly.

"And," Klaus smirked, "if Bonnie's successful, he'll live through his transition. Go on, then. Go and fetch your grimoires and enchantments and what-not. I'll hold on to Elena...for safe-keeping. Because obviously Nova isn't going anywhere."

Bonnie rushed out of the gym. Rebekah looked to Nova and had to do a double take; she swore she saw the girl's eyes glow for a moment. Rage boiled within the ravenette. She was tired of feeling helpless and bossed around. One way or another she was a queen. A queen that had never bowed to anyone and never will. Her fists were balled tightly, nails digging into the skin of her palms. Eventually they punctured through and blood started to drip from her hands. Elena took a fearful step back. Her fangs popped out without her face changing like it had when she saved Stefan.

" _A muri!_ " Nova cried. She rushed at Klaus, blood dripping fists flying. She landed several blows on him including cutting his lip and making his nose bleed before kicking him into a wall.

Klaus stood, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm quite impressed with your strength, luv. Been a whole 24 hours without any fresh human blood in your system but you've still got some power in that punch."

"In my culture vampires were separated into categories," Nova explained as they circled each other. "Strigoi were the low level monsters. Your average run of the mill, 'animal attack' vampire. But there were also rumored to be the Moroi. The Moroi were said to be the best of the best. They could blend in with humanity, be powerful leaders. And nobody knew whatever happened to their missing neighbors. The Moroi were the real monsters, you see. You could share your dinner with them and they would mercilessly have you and your family for desert. Moroi kill for the thrill and they have no desire to stop. Strigoi at least do it for food."

"Hm...how would you compare your lore to Rippers like Stefan then?"

"Easily - Rippers are right in the middle. They can blend into whatever society they're trying but then they'll snap. A Moroi is always doing both - blending in and tearing down. It's like eating all the cake you want and never getting fat for it. Why bother stop?"

"Sounds like you're speaking from existence. The high and mighty classifies herself as a monster? Fallen to the Strigoi of Romania?"

"No," she grinned and showed her fangs, "my parents successfully created a Moroi."

They fought some more before Klaus managed to gain the upper hand. He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the floor. "If you're so big and bad then why don't you enjoy two pieces of that cake with the names 'Chad' and 'Dana' written on it hm?" He threw her to the floor towards Dana and Chad.

She looked up to him and snarled. "Get bent. I don't take orders from anyone. I'm a hell of a lot higher than you."

"You want to protect this town because you're so powerful and mighty? You want me to spare the lives of the Salvatores and the doppelganger? By all means," he smirked, "let's drink on it."

"I said get bent!" She shouted and lunged for him again.

"Nova!" Elena cried when Klaus grabbed her throat again. "Klaus, please!"

The ravenette struggled beneath his grasp. The full day without as much blood as she was used to was starting to take a toll. Nobody really paid attention to how much she actually drank. "I wonder, luv, did your parents ever figure a way to make you immune to an Original's compulsion?"

"What?" Nova gasped.

He forced her to look him in the eye, ignoring Elena's cries. "You will do exactly as I say when I say it. You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey."

"No!" Elena screamed. "Nova!"

Her pupils dilated and he let her fall to the floor. Her eye twitched and her breathing became shallow. Klaus stood above her with a sadistic grin. "Now, luv, _kill them._ "

She didn't have much of a choice. Her face started to change on its own no matter how she screamed in her head.

* * *

"Nova!" Damon shouted, running into the boarding house. He cursed under his breath when he noticed the door. Immediately he found Stefan sitting up slowly from the floor. "Stefan, what the hell!"

The younger brother groaned. "Klaus," he told his brother. "They were at the school and she got away but he found her and took her."

"Dammit!" He yelled, punching a hole in the wall.

"We've got to do something, Damon. He keeps her spelled in a room and who knows what's happening at that school."

"We need to get her back, you hear me? Katherine is on the brink of finding Mikael."

Stefan's eyes widened. "The vampire hunting vampire Mikael?"

"The _Original_ vampire hunting vampire Mikael. Klaus' step daddy who has hunted him through the centuries trying to kill him."

Stefan nodded and clapped his brother on the back. "Let's go get our girls then."

* * *

Elena's tears splashed off of the gym floor for the ravenette. She sat on her knees in a pool of blood with Dana and Chad's corpses at her sides. Blood still dripped off of her chin. Her once light emerald eyes were a vacant, hollow green. Rebekah stormed into the gym, startling Elena, but Nova didn't budge.

"Where is it?!" She yelled, grabbing the brunette by the collar. "Where's my necklace?"

"What are you talking about?" Klaus groaned.

"She has my necklace! Look!" Rebekah showed him a picture on a cell phone. "Where is it?!"

"I don't have it anymore!" Elena cried.

"You're lying!"

"I'm telling the truth! Katherine stole it!"

She didn't miss seeing Nova's eye twitch when she said Katherine's name.

"Katerina." Klaus nodded. Another twitch from Nova. "Of course. Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?" He went over and set the game clock. "Twenty minutes. If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then," he knelt down to Nova, forcing her to look him in the eye. "I want you to feed again. Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to."

"No!" Elena screamed. "Klaus don't do this to her!"

"If she tries to run, fracture her spine." He kissed her forehead before standing and taking his leave with Rebekah.

Elena scrambled over to Nova and knelt down to her, dropping her knees into the blood without a care. "Nova, I know you can hear me," she spoke with tears running down her face. "Damon is going to come for you, do you understand?" Her eyes seemed to slide over and look at Elena. She cupped Nova's face comfortingly. "Come on, Nova, you're stronger than this! Who's to say you can't control the compulsion? Lethia told me your compulsion was the best and your mind was so strong only Damon had ever gotten inside." Something seemed to spark in her eyes. "Yes! Come on, Nova! Think of Damon, you've got to! I promise you I can see the same love you have for him in his eyes for you."

Nova's head tilted to the side and a tear slipped from her eye.

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1859]

For days Nova felt prisoner in her own body. Her parents marionetted her around as they saw fit. Finally she could move her fingers on her own beneath her sleeves. She could feel the armrests of her throne. Her head would move to the side. Her parents hosted a small gala. By time it was over she could finally feel her legs and feet. She raked her nails down the armrests over and over. When everyone was finally gone and her parents retired to their chambers she practiced moving her legs around.

Sunlight peaked through some of the curtains. As quietly as she could she slipped her arms free of the restraints. She stood quickly and fell to the floor, the sound echoing through the castle. She cursed and forced herself back up, using the walls as support to reach the front door. By time she finally reached it and pushed it open the sunlight beamed down on her and she could stand freely. Without a second thought she ran.


	7. I Can't Change Who I Am

07: I Can't Change Who I Am.

"Do you even have a plan?" Stefan questioned, following Damon into the school.

He flung the doors open mercilessly. "Nope. Don't need one."

"You're going up against Klaus! You need a plan and at least ten back up plans!"

The sound of crying echoed, growing closer. A mass of blonde was running towards them. Caroline practically ran into Stefan crying her eyes out. "He killed Tyler!" She sobbed. "To turn him into one of his hybrids!"

"Where's the girls, Klaus, and Tyler now?"

"Rebekah's got Tyler in some classroom until he wakes up," she sniffled. "Nova and Elena were in the gym. I think Klaus tried to compel Nova. She's...she's not doing alright."

Stefan looked to his brother worriedly. "Can Nova be compelled…?"

Damon opened his mouth when a scream rang through the halls. Elena's scream.

* * *

Nova was snarling. Barely five minutes were left on the clock. "Elena, you're going need to run," she growled through grit teeth. Her fangs had extended but she refused to allow her face to change.

"You're stronger than Klaus' compulsion!" The brunette told her.

"Even if I was," her nails dug deep into the wood of the bleachers, "I am a Moroi, Elena." She screamed in pain as her body tried to fight. "I'm a monster worse than your boyfriend. I kill for sport, for fun. I genuinely don't think anyone I've ever fed on lived afterwards. I even get a hold of you and there is no stopping. You are dead." She cried out, clutching her head as she fell to her knees. "Dammit Klaus, get out of my head!"

"Fight him, Nova! Even if you don't do it for me, do it for Damon!"

"Elena, please!" Nova pleaded. "Please just run!"

"You can fight, Nova! Your love for Damon is stronger than Klaus' compulsion!"

"You're not Damon, now are you!" Nova barked. They both looked to the clock as the buzzer sounded. "Run, Elena! Now!"

She ran through the school, going from one hallway to the next. Nova held on to everything she could so she doesn't have to hurt Elena, but she was pulled out of the gym and crashed from side to side through the hallways. Elena went through a door, closed it and looked through the small. She turned around and started moving but bumped right into Klaus and screamed.

"Oh you're such a moron," Nova groaned as her nails tore through the walls. She dropped to her knees, her head throbbing uncontrollably.

" _I really like your accent. I think it's almost as beautiful as your eyes."_

For a moment she could see his eyes. For a moment she felt in control.

" _You will do exactly as I say when I say it. You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey."_

Nova grit her teeth, tears pouring down her cheeks. She was dragged to another set of doors and slammed her head against them. She panted, using the doors for support, and glared icily at Klaus. She nearly bent the metal of the door. She forced herself upright with her hands still tightly on the doors. Her spine cracked and she cracked her neck. She forced herself to listen to Elena and focus on Damon but she was starting to lose her control.

"Now this is fascinating." Klaus commented. "I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your determination for this one girl you seem to detest. Why don't you turn it off?"

She laughed a little, still holding tightly to the doors. "I might not be doing this much effort for her but I'm sure as shit not going to harm her for your bidding. I've got more free will than you know what to do with."

"Come on." Klaus urged. He knew full well what was giving her a reason to fight him. "Your humanity is killing you. All the guilt from abandoning Damon must be exhausting. Turn it off."

Nova fell to all fours, clawing at the floor. For a moment she was back in 1994. Her chest ached. The pain spread to her ribs and her back as she flashed to 1860.

" _You're miserable with corsets I see."_

" _I never had to wear anything this intricate in Romania and I lived in a castle."_

" _Welcome to Virginia, sweetheart!"_

"Get bent," she snarled at Klaus, hair covering her face.

The door on the other side of the room burst open. Damon, Stefan, and Caroline ran in. Nova yelled in pain suddenly; her bones were on fire. She cursed in Romanian, forcing herself to her feet with the aid of a wall. Lethia knew she was in danger. Their link was open. Everything seemed to stop when her name resonated through the room with Damon's voice. She froze up with her back against the walls. Her eyes immediately found his and illuminated a bright emerald.

* * *

[Flashback; 1866]

Nova jolted upright with a gasp. She coughed a few times, spitting up water. Within seconds Damon was at her side. He brushed her hair out of her face. "You know you have a decision to make now," he told her softly.

"Damon," she hiccuped, tears forming in her eyes.

He shushed her. "Sweetheart you already died for me," he gently pet her cheek. "Would you...would you live for me?"

She looked up at him and leaned into his hand. "Yes."

* * *

[Present]

"Turn it off!" Klaus shouted at her. "Your humanity and whatever affection you have for Damon Salvatore!"

She grabbed the sides of her head again, digging her nails into the flesh. She let out a vile scream that nearly even made Klaus shudder. Damon ran in without a thought or care and tackled Klaus away from her. Klaus didn't hesitate to mercilessly pound the life out of the younger vampire. Moments later he was being ripped off by Nova who had gathered monstrous strength. Her eyes were glowing a magnificent emerald, fangs bared protectively. She threw Klaus to the ground and relentlessly hit him the same way he had been doing to Damon.

His ice blue eyes couldn't believe what they were witnessing. " _Nova!_ " He cried, his voice echoing through most of the school.

She cried out in pain, grabbing her head again. Klaus grabbed her by the throat and slammed her to the ground beneath him. "No, no!" She struggled.

" _Turn it off!"_

She let out one more foul scream and shoved Klaus off of her before darkness completely consumed her.

* * *

It had come down to Elena or Nova. In the end Elena had come home with them (forcibly sans some of her blood) and Nova's comatose self was left with Klaus. She wouldn't wake up to anything no matter who tried what. She was breathing and her heart was faint, but she refused to wake up. Stefan wasn't sure how many holes were in the walls anymore. Finally a girl chose him for decades upon decades and Damon was only kept from her.

"We just need to think of a plan," Stefan tried to assure his brother when a knock came at the door.

Damon had given up on glasses and was drinking his bourbon straight from the bottle. "You saw her, Stefan. Not even Nova Vasile could last a few rounds against Klaus."

"So, what? You're just giving up on her? Gonna let her get forcibly married to Klaus if she ever wakes up? You're the only one who can get into her head, Damon. You woke her up when the spell was put on her and Lethia, didn't you?"

"How do you know about that?" He muttered.

Stefan opened the door and found Rebekah waiting with bags. "Afternoon, boys. Which one's my room?"

The younger brother blinked in confusion. "Shouldn't you be staying with your brother?"

"He left me here," the blonde huffed. "Left both of us here." Her eyes wandered straight to Damon. She pushed her way in, still looking at Damon. "At least I'm not spelled to stay in a bedroom all day."

Damon's eyes widened. "Nova's still there…?" He breathed.

"Nik went and high tailed it out of town with whatever doppelganger blood he could get his filthy hands on," Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Told me to keep an eye on her but no way I'm spending all day around the handful of bloody hybrids he's already got." With a shrug she went upstairs and found a room for herself.

He immediately fumbled his phone out of his pocket and dialed. Katherine answered with a groan. "What?"

"What?" Damon hissed. "What do you mean 'what'? I've been calling you for two days!"

"Odd, that's exactly how long I've been ignoring you."

"I know you found Mikael. Klaus has Nova comatose and possibly compelled."

He could tell by the silence that Katherine clearly didn't like the idea of Nova Vasile being compelled by Klaus Mikaelson. "Sort of," she finally replied. "He's a little bit out of commission; he won't eat. I've tried everything...Gravediggers, mourners, mice, rats, bats. He's just not interested."

"Well, try harder. We need him to kill Klaus to keep Nova safe. We've got a small window to get her today but she's still comatose and Klaus is set on marrying her."

Katherine choked on the air. "Klaus wants her hand in marriage?"

"You sound even more concerned than us."

"I'll wake up Mikael. I have not survived 500 years to see the last Vasile forcibly married to Klaus Mikaelson."

The call ended and Katherine looked down at Mikael's desiccated form. She grabbed a man and forced him to bleed over Mikael's mouth. "No!" He finally spoke, color returning to his flesh. "Get it away!"

"You need blood," Katherine told him sternly, tossing the body to the side. "Klaus is trying to force the last Vasile girl's hand in marriage."

Mikael's eyes opened and looked up at her. "Niklaus is going to marry Nova Vasile?"

"Good, you already know her. Then you know what it means is Klaus gets his hands on that kind of power."

"I will not allow that."

* * *

"I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this." Elena shook her head. "She's already been through enough."

"Sorry I'm late," Tyler entered the boarding house. "What's going on?"

"Do you know how many hybrids are guarding Nova right now?" Damon questioned.

The hybrid blinked. "Why does that matter?"

"We need to get Nova out of there, Tyler," Stefan explained. "She's in a lot of danger."

"You will be if you try to take Nova from Klaus."

"Trust me," Elena encouraged him. "It's in everyone's best interest."

"Not Klaus'. He's going to marry her."

"But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler." Caroline tried to talk some sense into him. "Why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion?"

"Uh oh," Damon groaned, looking at the hybrid in question.

"Klaus made me who I am," Tyler told them. "I owe him everything."

Suddenly pain crossed Tyler's face. He gasped for air, choking a little, and fell to the floor with a vervain dart deep in his neck. Behind him stood Lethia much to everyone's shock. Her hair was a mess of knots, dark circles and bags beneath her hazel eyes that lacked light. "He's sired to the bastard," she told them, her voice raspy. "He'll bend over backwards for the prick."

"How do we help him?" Caroline sobbed.

"Get a new boyfriend," Lethia told him coldly. "The spell on Nova's room is to keep her specifically in; not keeping anyone out." She nodded over her shoulder and Bonnie entered behind her.

"Channelling Lethia I can keep the barrier down for five minutes," the witch told them.

"Bonnie," Elena started with concern, "we-"

"Lethia asked me," she cut off the brunette. "I wasn't going to help but she showed me what Nova was seeing through their link."

There was no missing the pain that found its way to Damon's countenance. "So she's not alright, is she…?"

Lethia walked past everyone and looked right up at him. He expected her to clock him in the nose like she had so many times before and froze when she hugged him and started to cry. "She'd told me everything," she sobbed into his chest. "But seeing it for yourself is worse than words. You can still get in her head, right? I tried over and over again but the link wouldn't go through. You need to save her, Damon. Before he ruins her mind."

Everyone was surprised when Damon hugged her tightly back. They could see the determination in his eyes. "We'll get her back, Thea. I promise."

* * *

In her mind, Nova screamed. She screamed her fool head off, feeling blood drip all over her skin. She screamed so loud to tune out the screams of those she'd long since killed. She tried to run and slipped in blood.

" _You will do exactly as I say when I say it. You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey."_

All she could do was scream.

Outside in the bushes Alaric and Elena hid with bows and vervain dart arrows. They carefully and silently put down the three hybrid guards outside Klaus' manor. Stefan and Damon ran into the manor first with the archers in tow, snapping the necks of five more hybrids. "Go!" Stefan commanded, ushering Damon and Elena up the stairs as the hybrids started to come to and five more joined them.

Nova tried desperately to stop practically drowning in the blood but it was everywhere. Her victims' pleas haunted her; Klaus' laugh taunted her. She sobbed and screamed, falling in the blood. The worst part was that she only wanted to get away because she wanted more. It was like putting an alcoholic in a vodka bath.

" _Turn it off!"_

" _You shut it off, I shut it off. That's the deal, right?"_

Elena didn't hesitate with her bow in taking down the two guards by Nova's room. She ran to the door and found it locked. Damon immediately kicked in the door. The bed was in front of a large window opposite the door where Nova laid. Her dark hair was fanned out on the fluffy pillows, blanket pulled up to her chest. To anyone else she would have looked like she was only sleeping. He made his way over to her, touching her cheek gently.

The brunette bit her lip and looked at her phone. Bonnie still hadn't texted saying the barrier was clear for them yet. Damon looked at her and she had to shake her head.

Nova gasped when she felt it. _She felt it._ She grit her teeth and forced herself back to her feet, fumbling through the pool of blood. She could still feel Klaus' claws in her, yelling at her to shut it off. She clawed at what could have been some kind of wall and kicked through the blood and bodies. She found that the 'wall' was made of stone. Light started to illuminate her prison; she was in the Vasile castle in Bucharest. The bodies of her slain parents still rot in their thrones.

She stared at them emotionlessly. Her small, silver crown sat on her throne between them. It still shined like time hadn't touched it. Blood covered the floor and dripped down the stone walls. Bodies of her victims appeared slain in the blood.

" _You will do exactly as I say when I say it. You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey."_

" _You really don't like to listen to people, do you?"_

Stefan ran up the stairs and snapped the neck of the hybrids as they woke up. "Anything from Bonnie?" He asked quickly.

Elena still had to shake her head, her ponytail swinging side to side. "I don't know what's going on…"

Damon had already picked up Nova into his arms. Even dead weight she still didn't weight much. His eyes never left the girl in his arms. "She'll get it. Just hang on."

"And if Klaus randomly comes home because his hybrids alerted him?" came Alaric.

"Bonnie's got Thea," he murmured, smoothing down Nova's hair. "They'll do it."

"Damon," his brother urged, "what if they can't or don't?"

"Lethia won't let that happen," he laughed a little darkly.

They were grabbing at her ankles as they clung to their last bits of life. Nova kicked each one heartlessly, scraping and clawing to her throne. She cursed when she felt a burning pain in the crook of her neck. Her own blood started to drip from the haunting scars of Stefan attacking her. She ignored it and forced herself on. When she neared the raised platform the thrones were on she grabbed around, yanking at her parents' ankles and pulling them into the bloody pit.

" _Turn. It. Off."_

" _They all think we're monsters. And you know what? They're right."_

"It worked!" Elena exclaimed. "The spell is down; let's go!"

Nova's hand hit her throne. Blood dripped off onto the platform, echoing through the dark, empty castle. She pulled herself to her feet and, with blood dripping hands, gently picked up her crown.

Alaric and Elena ran down first, vervain darting the hybrids again. Stefan backed up Damon as they ran outside with Nova in his arms. Stefan jumped to the driver's seat while Damon slid in the back with the ravenette; Alaric and Elena got into another car. The tires skidded away from Klaus' manor hurriedly.

The small crown touched Nova's blood caked dark hair and she turned, sitting in the throne. Her eyes weren't entirely vacant, but the light had been consumed by a crimson darkness.

" _We're better like this."_


	8. I Scream God Forgive Me Please

08: I Scream God Forgive Me Please.

Rebekah was sobbing. She found her way to the room at the end of the hall Nova had been stashed away in, locking the door behind her. She sniffled and kicked off her expensive shoes, curling up to Nova's unconscious form like a big sister. She took the girl's hand and cried. "Nik killed her," she sobbed, hoping Nova could at least her. "Our mum, he killed her and never told us…" She took a large breath, trying not to sob again. "And you! How could you just lay here? Have you any idea even what's been happening? Bloody ghosts traipsing all over town, woman! Mason Lockwood came back to haunt your darling Damon, you know."

She sighed and huffed, wiping her face with her sleeves. "I know beauty sleep isn't an option when you've seen decades upon decades but you need to wake up, Nova." She brushed Nova's dark hair out of her pale face. "If anyone can beat Nik at his own game it's you."

* * *

"So," Stefan started carefully as he and Damon walked up to the boarding house, "you and Nova, huh?" Damon scoffed, brushing him off. "I'm serious, man. We all heard what happened in Chicago - what Nova said. You're just going to play it off like it never happened?"

"When she wants to wake up and talk about it she will."

"What if when she wakes up she's compelled, Damon? Her love for you could be the only thing to bring her back."

"Nova Vasile cannot be compelled or forced to do anything. Not even by Klaus."

"How sure are you of that…?"

Damon pushed him against a wall, visibly irritated. "I'd put my life on it, okay? I couldn't get into her head because she clearly does not want me to see whatever shit show is going on in there. She'll wake up and we'll kill Klaus. Or we'll kill Klaus and she'll wake up, problem solved! We are not handing her over to him so he can suck whatever is left of the Vasile name from her. She's stronger than he is."

"Careful brother," Stefan smiled a little, "your humanity is showing."

He rolled his eyes and opened the door (a new one, since Klaus kicked down the previous). The scent of New York style cheesecake bombarded their noses, music blaring from the speakers. They looked at one another and crept down the hall silently. As they got closer to the kitchen they could hear singing.

" _I'm gonna lift you up into the light you deserve; I'm gonna take you down to the real world so you can watch it burn!_ " The oven door slammed and a mess of black hair jumped up from behind the island. " _Don't you dare surrender; Don't leave me here without you. 'Cause I would never replace your perfect imperfection!_ "

Damon was frozen in his spot with Stefan beside him, jaw dropped. It was like all the air had been vacuumed from his lungs. She turned, still singing, and put the fresh cheesecake on an oven mitt on the island. Her hair spun when she turned, emerald eyes immediately meeting his ice blue. Her lips pulled slowly into a wide grin, fangs peeking out like they usually would. She stepped out from behind the island and in a split second Damon was across the kitchen with the petite girl tightly in his arms. She laughed when he spun them around, her feet high off of the floor. Stefan did not move from his spot, still staring with astonishment.

"I was beginning to worry I'd never hear you sing again," he murmured into her hair as he carefully set her down.

Nova laughed and tamed his mess of black hair, wiping some dirt off of his cheek. "I've got centuries of singing left in me, _iubițel_. You, though; you sir look like you've been playing in dirt. What-what is this? Hm? Versace? And it's torn and filthy! What's gotten into you?"

He laughed and ruffled her hair, earning a punch to the side. "Calm down, mom." He rolled his eyes. "I've been running through caverns under the Lockwood property with Ric. We got Mikael."

Her eyes widened. "Bullshit!"

"I shit you not," he smirked. "Plan's in motion. See, I told you I had it. Go ahead. Kick, yell, scream. Bitch about being a damsel in distress."

He nearly fell over when she stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. She smiled up at him. "I'm not mad. Let's take down the bastard." She touched his face and walked over to the island, pulling a bottle of whisky and cups from the cabinet. She poured each of them a glass and cut the cheesecake. Damon sat first at the bar stool by the island; Stefan was hesitant to follow.

"How do you feel, Nova?" Stefan questioned as carefully as he could. "You...you were unconscious for some time."

Her expression turned solid and unreadable as she served them each a plate of cheesecake. "How does everyone seem to think I should feel, Stefan? Compelled by the Original hybrid?" Stefan flinched. "I remember everything that happened from start to this very second."

Damon grabbed her hand with a smile and a mouthful of cheesecake. "Ignore him," he told her, rolling his eyes. He looked to Stefan. "She's awake now and that's what matters. Now we get rid of Klaus."

* * *

Stefan rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Your father is dead," he spoke into the phone tactlessly. He genuinely couldn't take Klaus' rambling about Portland anymore.

"What did you say to me?" he spat after silence.

"Oh, my mistake. Not your actual father and not dead. Mikael. Daggered. What do you want me to do with the body? Also, Nova is awake."

On the other end Klaus was practically losing his mind. "I wish to speak to Nova then."

The ravenette inwardly groaned as she took the phone. "Hello, Klaus." She made a face like she wanted to throw up.

He laughed at the other end. She could feel the barf in her mouth. "Well good morning, luv. I have clearly missed a lot since leaving Mystic Falls it seems. Tell me darling, what's happened to you and Mikael?"

She sighed silently. "Well, surprise surprise, Damon stole me from your manor." She snickered a little; she could feel his blood boiling. "I finally came to when Mikael was attacking Elena. Instinct kicked in and I got him down. Found he had a dagger and didn't waste my time in not using it." She licked her lips and tapped a nail against the phone nervously. If Klaus knew what she assumed he did then there shouldn't be a question in her statement.

"Incredible." She relaxed at his compliment. "I need to speak with Rebekah if she's there, luv."

Without hesitation Nova handed the phone to the blonde. "Hello, Nik."

"Rebekah, love. What's this I hear about Mikael's tragic run in with the dagger?"

"It's true. He's finally out of our lives for good. I miss you. I'm miserable here."

"I'll be home soon. In the meantime I need for you to get everything ready. Do you understand, sister?"

She looked to Nova with what seemed to be a pained sympathy. "Yes. I'll see you then, brother." The call ended and she handed the phone back to Stefan before turning to the ravenette. "I'll try to give you as much time as I can, but it won't be much. He's coming home." Without another word she fled from the boarding house.

Damon rubbed his face, realizing what Rebekah was referring to. Klaus was coming back to Mystic Falls to see Mikael dead and marry Nova. "Nope," he spoke loudly. "Over my cold, dessicated corpse. Mikael is going to stake that bastard before he can even imagine you in a wedding dress."

Nova shrugged as she headed for the stairs. "Nothing matters," she spoke with her back to them. "Not anymore."

When her bedroom door closed Stefan turned to his brother as quietly as he could. "How positive are you that her humanity is not off?"

Damon still stared at where she had walked away up the stairs. "I promise you, Stefan, if _her_ humanity was off, you wouldn't be questioning it. You would know. But she's losing her grip on it."

* * *

[Flashback; New Year's, 1958]

Nova's ears twitched. She heard someone creeping into the complex as silently as they could. Her hearing had gotten better in the past five years. She had been hanging upside down on her corner couch and flipped over onto her bare feet. Her eyes were huge and almost bloodshot. Her hair fell down to the curve of her back and curved about in messy waves. Her nose twitched; she grabbed an empty whisky bottle and tip-toed silently over about ten bodies towards her front door. She made a face when she stepped in cold blood and wiped her foot on a nearby rug. The clock tower nearby started its midnight chimes.

The faintest of steps crept their way towards her apartment. She grinned, twirling the bottle in her hand impatiently, and did a quick line of coke on her kitchen counter. The knob started to turn and she got ready to jump. The only light in the apartment was moonlight and lamps shining in through the living room bow window. As soon as she saw someone step in, Nova pounced. She wrestled with the intruder until they flung one another into the living room window.

"Damon!" The ravenette shouted before tackling him again in a hug.

Something had changed about her in the past five years, that much Damon could easily see. She was wearing tight, black, leather leggings and a lace back v-neck. Her hair had been recently teased and lost it's poof, old makeup smeared around her eyes and dried blood on the corners of her lips. He could smell the excessive liquor and pot and the whole place was practically a blood bath. When she sat up, sitting herself on him, and looked down at him, he smirked.

"I vanish for five years and you shut off your humanity? I knew you wouldn't make it without me."

She rolled her eyes and playfully punched his chest. "I made it up until a few weeks ago. Get bent. You have no room to judge." She mimicked his smirk. "What was so traumatizing that Damon Salvatore shut it off and still returned to my side?"

He touched her face gently. "Nothing you ever need to worry about."

* * *

[Present]

Nova threw herself onto Damon's bed at the boarding house. She wanted nothing more than to shower but the bed and scent of her best friend comforted her more. She felt disgusted at the thought of marrying Klaus Mikaelson. She longed to set fire to that stupid, obnoxious manor. She didn't hear Damon enter the room, standing in the doorway.

He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her back gently. "That horrible?"

"Worse," she shouted into the pillow. With a groan she sat up and ran her hands through her hair. "I'm quite certain the filthy dress has stolen fabric from poor countries and made them fabricless." He started to laugh and she punched him. "It's not funny! There's an obscene amount of fabric for one dress! All day it was measuring every nook and curve, pulling things over my head repeatedly, and being covered in damn glitter. She finally decided on this monstrosity by I think Vera Wang." She groaned again and fell back on the pillows. "Stupid thing shows so much of my chest it's like Rebekah is trying to piss off her brother." Her hand touched the side of her neck, ghosting over two small scars right over her carotid artery from when she was still human.

Damon put his hand over hers, smiling lightly; he'd accidentally marked her the night he turned. She was right, surely Klaus wouldn't take too kindly to that. His smile slipped into a smirk. "He'll probably like that tattoo on your right ' _thigh_ ' even less." He winked.

Her cheeks turned pink, eyes opening wide. She'd often forget of the tattoo in question - the astrological sign for Gemini but quirked into the shape of a 'D' in script with a crow's feather. She always said it was on her thigh, which technically it was, just her upper thigh. Very close to her ass. Her fist acted quickly and punched him hard in the chest, knocking some wind from his lungs. "Oh bite me!" She shouted with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest as he started to laugh. "You've got one too, _măgar_!"

It was true, he did, and he would gladly always admit it. On the back of his right shoulder he had the astrological sign for Leo with a crown on top of it because it looked like a lowercase 'n'. She swore she only blinked and he was nearly nose to nose. Her heart started to thump faster deep in her chest. She closed her eyes as he gently brushed her hair off her left shoulder, baring her pale neck and the two faint scars. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt his against her skin. The scars were re-pierced and she felt herself fall back. He caught her before she could even slip.

"Damon," she breathed when he finally looked at her. She could feel two drops of her blood dripping slowly down her chest. She knew where it was headed, that was how it always started. But oh lord she loved the warmth of his chest under her hands.

He smirked against her lips, his hands slipping under the back of her shirt. "So we'll find a pretty red 'A' for you to wear on your wedding dress tomorrow. I'm sure Klaus will get the picture."

He kissed her and she didn't fight in the slightest. In fact she'd long since missed his touch. In a flash her jeans were gone. She gasped and shivered when his hand ghosted over her tattoo. She had leaned her head back but her fangs extended quickly without warning and she jolted her head forward, shoving him backwards on the bed. Her cold hand slipped under his shirt; he grit his teeth to keep from shivering to give her the satisfaction. He couldn't stop a small growl when she dragged her nails down his chest and bit into his throat.


	9. So Watch Me Close, As I Unveil

09: So Watch Me Close, As I Unveil.

"Rise and shine, little Messalina!"

Nova groaned and rolled in the bed. She understood Rebekah's reference just as the blonde knew she was _only_ in Damon's shirt beneath the blankets. She pulled the blankets over her head but Rebekah only laughed and pulled them down, not caring how exposed she was.

She tossed the ravenette an outfit from her drawers. "Get dressed, darling, we've got a long day ahead of us."

Nova looked at the clothes in her lap pensively. She knew what she had to get ready for. She'd prefer to crawl under a rock.

Rebekah sighed and sat beside her on the bed. "I've spent my whole life loving and hating my brother with equal measure." Nova looked up at her. "Nik and I were always moving around, running. Our father, Mikael, had our mother turn us with magic. Turned out mother had an affair with a neighboring wolf so when Mikael forced us to turn Nik became a hybrid. Mikael always loathed him." She shook her head. Her eyes were lost in thought. "It only got worse and has continued to through the centuries. Nik has done some absolutely awful, unspeakable things because of the things he's seen. In reality we all have, haven't we?"

Nova couldn't deny that, she had plenty of skeletons in her closet. Hell, she had a walk in closet for all the skeletons and had to have an addition built on. "Do you know exactly what he gains by forcing my hand in marriage though?" She asked with strain in her voice.

She could see the pain in the ravenette's eyes. It honestly broke her heart a little to admit that she did in fact know everything that would happen because of Klaus forcing Nova to marry him.

She bit her lip and refused to cry. "I at least want it to be Damon to walk me down the aisle and give me away," she told the blonde in a small voice, looking back down at the clothes and playing with her necklace. Rebekah eyed her with hurt in her eyes. "He's the one who's been there for the better part of my life; we've always stood side by side. If anyone deserves rights to give me away it's him."

Rebekah nodded and took her hands. Nova looked at her. "At the end of the day, Nova Vasile, you do whatever it is you need to do. Okay?"

She squeezed the blonde's hands back and nodded. "I promise I will."

* * *

"You look just like a queen," Rebekah mused with a pleased sigh as she finished curling Nova's hair. They were at Klaus' mansion; he was at the Lockwood manor waiting where he had made Tyler get everything set up.

Nova fidgeted in the chair, poking at the fluffy fabric of the dress. She mentally complained about the bustier feeling too rigid and suffocating her breasts. "This is probably what my parents pictured, sure," she grumbled.

She laughed and took one final look at Nova, thoroughly pleased with her work. She checked her phone; they still had about 45 minutes before they needed to leave and get to the Lockwood property. "Would you like if I got Damon for you?" Nova's head shot up to look at her, eyes wide with confusion and surprise. Rebekah grinned. "Perhaps a little alone time before Nik ruins everything?"

Her cheeks tinted pink. "Wh-what?"

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Don't play coy, _little Messalina._ Would you like if I got Damon for you?" She winked.

Nova started to stammer and stutter, causing Rebekah to laugh. Finally she just took a breath and smiled, standing slowly. "Yes, actually, I would love that."

"Brilliant!" She exclaimed. "I'll be right back!"

The blonde hurried over to the door. The second it opened a dagger was buried deep into her chest. Nova cried out for her as she dessicated and fell to the floor, revealing Elena. She let out a small scream and just barely resisted the urge to bury her fingers in her hair. "What did you do?!" She screamed, storming towards Elena.

Before she could reach the brunette she was grabbed and hoisted away, back into the room. Stefan ran up quickly and hurried off with Rebekah's body and Elena. Nova thrashed, even after realizing it was Damon who grabbed her. He just pulled her close, rubbing her bare upper back and shushing her. "It's alright," he told her. "Rebekah will be fine."

"She didn't do anything!" Nova cried. "She only did all of this because of Klaus because she's a girl!"

"I know. And she's going to be very, very mad when that dagger comes out of her - and it will - but for now it's necessary."

"What have you done?"

"I need you not to worry about that right now, alright?" He smiled at her. "I need to bring you to the Lockwood manor." She frowned. "Some of Klaus' hybrids will be here in about thirty minutes to make sure it happens." He could see her start to get visibly upset and kissed her gently, stopping her completely. "You can't ruin your makeup - your makeup artist is unavailable right now and we both know how good I'm not at doing things like that." She laughed a little. "Besides, you really do look like royalty." He took a step back and tapped a finger to his chin. "You're just missing something."

Nova sighed and fell back into her chair with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. "Yeah," she sighed miserably, "my crown. One of two of the only things I actually regret leaving behind in Romania."

Damon had gone over to the bow window sill where he had set down a medium box before he kept her from Elena. He picked it up and walked back to her with a small smirk. "I'm not sure what that second thing is but there isn't a thing I can't find in this world, especially for you."

She took the box and blinked a couple of times, staring up at him. When she opened it she had to desperately bite back the tears as her nearly 160 year old crown shined back up at her like the first day she laid eyes on it. "You found my crown," she squeaked, still fighting tears.

"I found your crown," he told her with a slightly arrogant smirk.

Nova stood and carefully set the box on the chair. Damon was confused as she marched up to him; he wasn't sure if she was going to hit him or hug him. She did neither, instead flinging herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him like she never had before. For a moment he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet. When they finally parted and her feet were back on the floor he still didn't let her go. They both smiled and just held each other.

"I'm not sure a lady who's supposed to be marrying another man should show such public displays of affection," he laughed and teased her.

She grinned up at him. "You were already supposed to have a red 'A' to pin to my dress."

Damon chuckled and pulled her close to him, closing the small gap they had. "I wonder," he mused with a smirk, "if it happens more than once, do you need more than one 'A'?"

Nova laughed. "Whatever you've got starting to brew in that twisted little noodle of yours is going to have to be paused; this stupid dress is like a cage. Good luck even trying to poke at it." He hummed and in a flash she was on the bow window sill with the massive fabrics of her gown shoved up enough for him to tap her upper thigh with one hand while the other slipped beneath her garter. Her cheeks turned bright pink and she slapped his chest. "Damon! Window!"

He smirked and rolled his eyes, moving his hands further up her thighs. "Nova!" He mocked her. "Don't care!" She slapped his chest again. "To hell with anyone in the vicinity to see. I genuinely hope on of Klaus' stupid hybrids does see and calls him. As long as he knows that I can do things to you and make you feel ways he never could." He chuckled as her cheeks darkened. "Besides, we've still got about twenty minutes and I'm enough of a gentleman to not dirty a lady's dress on a floor." He winked.

* * *

"I think I may barf," Nova muttered as she took Damon's arm.

He chuckled and the door opened. The second they laid eyes on Klaus (who smirked) both of their expressions darkened and turned icy cold. "Barf all over his shoes. They shine with dollar signs."

The closer they got to the Original hybrid, the tighter they clung to one another's arm. At separate points they both looked out and didn't see Lethia. Damon was perplexed; Nova knew she was up to something. When they finally reached the makeshift altar at the center of Lockwood manor they both glared up at Klaus. He sneered a little; it was like two identical expressions almost. Damon nearly didn't let go of Nova. She would have preferred if he hadn't. She was begrudgingly grateful for the bouquet of roses (how cliche) she was forced to hold otherwise her hands would have been defiantly on her hips. Damon was sure to stand close to her with his eyes on Klaus.

Klaus had been staring down at Nova with an arrogant smirk until he caught sight of what he believed to be fang scars on her neck. When she realized what he was looking at (and that he didn't look so happy anymore), she smirked and flipped her hair off of her shoulder, holding her head high proudly and further exposing the scars. His face almost contorted into a sneer but he focused on the ceremony, desperately waiting for the 'I do's.

One of the hybrids tried to sneak up to him without blowing the entire ceremony. "You have a visitor," she whispered to him.

He scowled. "Well tell my visitor I'm a little bit busy and that they're going to have to wait fifteen bloody minutes," he hissed.

The officiant nearly turned to them and asked for the 'I do's when the hybrid, Mindy, told him, "He said his name is Mikael."

The entire room fell silent.

Nova resisted the urge to turn around and look at Damon, knowing he absolutely had something to do with that. When the door was kicked in and revealed Mikael standing there with (what most everyone believed to be) Elena, a knife to her throat. "Ah fuck," she muttered, bouquet dropping to the floor with a small bounce.

"Hello, Niklaus," Mikael greeted with a smirk.

Klaus walked dangerously towards the door. His expression was burning with wrath. "Hello, Mikael. Why don't you come in? Oh that's right, I forgot you can't."

"Or you can come outside if you want."

"Or I can watch my hybrids tear you limb from limb."

"They can't kill me."

"True. But it'll make a hell of a party game for my wedding. All I have to do is rub these two fingers together and they'll pounce."

"The big bad wolf. You haven't changed. Still hiding behind your playthings like a coward. You only forget. They may be sired by you, but they're still part vampire. And they can be compelled by me. Or perhaps that's the reason you're furthering your paranoia and fear by forcing that poor, last Vasile girl to marry you." Klaus' eye twitched. "Come out and face me, Niklaus. Or she dies."

"Go ahead," he told Mikael defiantly. "Do it."

"If she dies then it'll be the last of your abominations."

"I don't need them. I just need to be rid of you."

"To what end, Niklaus? So you can live forever, with no one at your side? Nobody cares about you any more, boy! What do you have other than those whose loyalty you forced? No one. No one."

Nova's eyes widened a little, eyebrows going up. Rebekah really wasn't kidding; Klaus must have been traumatized by Mikael's mouth alone.

"My whole life you've underestimated me," Klaus snarled at him. "If you kill her you lose your leverage. So go ahead. Go on. Kill her. Come on, old man. Kill her. _Kill her!_ "

Mikael started to laugh. Nova made a face at the sound. "Your impulse, Niklaus. It has and will forever be the one thing that keeps you from truly being great." Without hesitation he stabbed the brunette hostage with the blade. She fell to the ground in a heap.

Nova had started to creep closer slowly to watch the scene when she caught sight of Stefan sneaking up behind Klaus while he was taken by the shock. She gasped and Damon grabbed her mouth, telling her to hush. She wanted to plead her case, to protect Stefan from Klaus' wrath. All he was going to do was make Klaus angry. And she was right. Stefan got the white oak stake painfully into Klaus' stomach, but it wasn't enough to hold him down. He launched Stefan as far as he possibly could and ripped the stake out of his flesh.

"Katherine!" Mikael exclaimed.

Nova's attention turned back to the door where the brunette had gotten to her feet and behind Mikael with two grenades in her hands. Klaus' hybrids had started to gather on the lawn. "Kaboom." She tossed the grenades and put the hybrids down even for a moment. She turned and saw Klaus with the stake and Nova's face. She didn't hesitate in fleeing and not being seen.

The ravenette quickly pushed Damon in the direction his brother had flown in, telling him to go check on Stefan. They start to head towards Stefan when a noise caught her attention. She whirled around in time to see Klaus drive the white oak stake into Mikael's chest. Some of his blood splashed onto her cheeks and dress before he burst into flames, also burning the stake. Damon skidded to a halt, seeing the entire thing.

Nova's heart started to race; her breathing became shallow. Her lips parted. A coldness washed over her, making her body numb. Almost in slow motion her crown started to slip from the top of her head. Her eyes closed, lashes brushing her cheek bones.

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1857]

She ran through the woods with immense speed and a sai blade in each hand. Her long, raven hair was tied into a loose braid that whipped behind her. As she neared a small campsite deep in the forest she jumped into a thick tree to survey the camp first. Six people. All six were on the list. Her emerald eyes were cold and unfeeling. Only the full moon's light and their small fire gave off light.

Swiftly and silently she murdered each of the six, slitting their throats with her blades. When only one man remained, he fell to his knees at her feet and pleaded for his life. She stared down at him emotionlessly and pressed her blades crossed against his throat. He cried and begged. She stared him in the eye as she whipped her arms apart, slashing his throat deep with both blades. Some of his blood splashed up onto her cheeks. With two fingers she wiped the drops, smearing them across her cheeks like warpaint.

* * *

[Present]

Nova's crown had been mid-fall when she opened her eyes. As her lashes came up and tickled her eyebrows the silver crown crashed to the floor. The metal clank on the hardwood echoed through the silence. Damon's eyes widened with pain. He called her name; he knew what she had done. Klaus turned around and stormed towards her. He tried desperately to run in and intervene but it was too late.

By time Klaus saw the lights off behind her eyes he was already in arm's or leg's reach. Her fist collided first with his nose, shattering it. It started to slowly heal itself, dripping globs of blood, when she kicked him with all her might deep in his ribcage. The air was knocked out of him momentarily so she gave another kick to his sternum with her stiletto heel. He collided with a wall, his head smashing against it hard enough to crack it. He fell on his knees with a groan, opening his eyes to see her feet. When he looked up and met her eyes _he_ felt something crawl down his spine.

Sure, he'd never actually paid enough real mind to look into her eyes, but he knew she had a fire in her magnificent emerald eyes. He admired it; it amused him. What he looked up to see was years and years worth of dark horrors that started long before she was even a vampire. He saw absolutely darkness in a pit of nothingness topped off with a sickening bloodlust that radiated off of her. Klaus Mikaelson nearly shrank back in fear.

Her hands moved and he almost flinched but she only grabbed fistfulls of her dress. She lifted the hem off the floor and ran out the door at full speed. Damon stared out the door after her, jaw dropped and a brokenness in his own eyes.

* * *

"Nova!" Damon nearly screamed as he and Stefan ran into the boarding house. They found her heels discarded in the hall and moved quietly into the parlour. Near the stairs were the torn remnants of the white dress. They each took off in separate directions, searching the house as quickly as they could. "She's not here!" Damon shouted when they met back up.

Stefan had ran up from the basement. "There's a lot of blood bags gone from the fridge. A good amount of bags on the floor alone."

"And more upstairs," he told his brother as he started to pace.

"Damon, did she shut off her humanity?"

Before he could answer, Elena called. "Why is Nova at the Grill?" She asked with a hint of fear in her voice. "Is she alright? What happened with Klaus?"

"What's she doing at the Grill?" Stefan questioned.

"Singing," the brunette told them with confusion. "I mean don't get me wrong, she's fantastic, but she doesn't seem like herself...I'm pretty sure she had to compel the owner to give her stage time and I think I heard something about her buying co-ownership? Seriously, what the hell happened?"

"Holy shit she's fast," he muttered.

Damon scoffed. "Well she's got some kind of ownership of at least 30 clubs in the states alone."

"Dammit, Damon, did she shut off her fucking humanity?"

"What?" Elena shouted on the other line.

Damon quickly hit the 'end call' button. "Who do you know that's a drug dealer around here, brother?" Stefan's eyes widened.

* * *

"She shut off her humanity?!" Elena shouted when the brothers finally arrived at the Grill. "My god...what about Lethia if they're linked? I could have sworn I saw her earlier but she vanished!"

Damon rubbed his face. "Yeah she wasn't at the Lockwood's either so that's promising." Music started and he cursed rather loudly.

"Don't like the song?" Stefan snickered.

"It's a three woman sang song," he told them. They stared at him until one of the stage lights kicked on and revealed Nova.

Her hair was still curled but fallen into waves. She had changed into tight black jeans and a dark emerald v-neck long sleeve shirt with black knee-high heeled boots. " _She got a body like an hourglass; But I can give it to you all the time; She got a booty like a Cadillac; But I can send you into overdrive!_ " She winked and blew a kiss.

"She's been bouncing around the whole place like a hostess without a care in the world," Elena told them as they watched. No wonder she owned and sang at so many clubs.

" _Bang bang into the room (I know ya want it)  
_ _Bang bang all over you (I'll let ya have it)  
_ _Wait a minute lemme take you there (ah)  
_ _Wait a minute till ya (ah)  
_ _Bang bang there goes your heart (I know ya want it)  
_ _Back, back seat of my car (I'll let ya have it)  
_ _Wait a minute lemme take you there (ah)  
_ _Wait a minute till ya (ah)_ "

A second light to Nova's right kicked on and revealed Rebekah in a tight red dress and silver heels. Stefan, Damon, and Elena collectively sighed and cursed.

" _She might've let you hold her hand in school  
_ _But I'm a show you how to graduate  
_ _No, I don't need to hear you talk the talk  
_ _Just come and show me what your momma gave!_ "

"And _that's_ why a three woman song was a terrible omen," Damon told them.

"Oh my god," Elena's breathing started to speed up. "I daggered her. She's gonna come for me first. How did Nova get the dagger out?"

Stefan tried to console his girlfriend. "Just how lethal is Nova when her humanity is off, Damon?"

The third light kicked on on Nova's other side which, of course, revealed Lethia.

" _It's Myx Moscato  
_ _It's frizz in a bottle  
_ _It's Nicki full throttle  
_ _It's oh, oh.  
_ _Swimming in the grotto  
_ _We winning in the lotto  
_ _We dipping in the pot of blue foam  
_ _Kitten so good  
_ _It's drippin' on wood  
_ _Get a ride in the engine that could go  
_ _Batman Robin it  
_ _Bang, bang, cocking it  
_ _Queen Nicki dominant, prominent  
_ _It's me, Jessie, and Ari  
_ _If they test me they sorry  
_ _Ride his uh like a Harley  
_ _Then pull off in this Ferrari  
_ _If he hangin' we bangin'  
_ _Phone rangin', he slangin'  
_ _It ain't karaoke night but get the mic 'cause I'm singing (uh)  
_ _B to da' A to da' N to da' G to da' uh (baby)  
_ _B to da' A to da' N to da' G to da' hey!_ "

"Bad enough where we need to leave before any one of them see any one of us," Damon spoke quietly and quickly.

" _See anybody could be good to you,  
_ _You need a bad girl to blow your mind (your mind)!_ "

As the three girls finished up on the last chorus, Damon tried to hurry his brother and Elena out of the Grill. "But why?" Elena protested. "She'd never want to hurt you, Damon. She cares a lot about you. We can use that to get her humanity back on!"

"First of all," he started to laugh, "you're really going to wish that was the case. And second, those three tiny heathens might as well have spat straight from hell right now. And they're a fucking team. Do you see that kind of coordination up there? They're in sync. They're a team. If that doesn't scare you then you're a fucking idiot."

* * *

"Welcome home!"

"Ah fuck," Damon sighed, slapping his hand to his forehead. He contemplated running back out the door.

Stefan stared at Lethia and Nova with his jaw dropped and Elena protectively behind him. "How the hell do you two move so damn fast?"

Nova laughed and went to the table with glasses and liquor. "I've always been very agile. Even before I was turned. Anyone else want a drink?"

"Ooh!" Lethia grinned, her hand shooting up. "Me! I do!"

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose before turning to the blonde. No way he could run to avoid it for even one more hour. "Didn't see you at Klaus' failed attempt to force your best friend to marry him."

Lethia sat cross legged on the couch and grinned up at him. "Yeah I wasn't going to waste my time when things needed to be ready. You see, I knew even before she did it that Nov was going to shut her humanity off - I could _feel_ it. She had made the decision and didn't really acknowledge it yet but I did."

Nova handed the blonde a glass and sipped from her own. "You guys probably shouldn't worry about silly little things like that." She shrugged.

Damon closed his eyes and took a breath before looking at her childish yet sadistic grin. "What the fuck did you do?"

The girls started to laugh hysterically. Stefan pulled Elena into his arms. Nova walked by Damon, shaking her hips. "I _maayyy_ have gotten my hands on something of Klaus'. And I _maayyy_ be playing a marvelous game of hide and seek with it. Or would it be manhunt?" She giggled.

Damon grabbed her and pulled her towards him, forcing her head up to look at the underside of her nose. She laughed a little and it got louder as he started to pat her down, searching for drugs. She was nearly in hysterics and held her arms out humorously for him. "Come on, _iubițel,_ I always did like putting my stash in my bra. Check a little closer?" She winked.

He slapped the side of her head. "Titties are not pockets and you clearly just want me to. What, can't find any good quality coke out here?" Elena gasped.

Nova shrugged and downed the rest of the bourbon in her cup in one gulp. "No, actually, I can't. Everyone seems to cut their shit bad and I'm not trying to play that game because we both know what happened the last time someone gave me a bad batch." She smirked. "The weed isn't bad though. Elena can you tell your adorable baby brother that he can up his prices a bit? I think $70 for a quarter would be fair. We can work on the rest."

"Oh my god," the brunette cried, burying her face into Stefan's chest.

"What? The kid just needs someone who already has business experience."

"Nova!" Damon chastised.

"What!" She groaned dramatically. She pushed him a little tauntingly. "What crawled up your ass and died? You were always bitching that I was a buzzkill, what happened? Mystic Falls make you lame?"

"So lame!" Lethia called from the couch with a laugh.

"Don't worry," Nova smiled up at him, "we'll get you out of here soon enough. You'll give into our deal sooner rather than later when you see all the fun I'm having and then we can get the fuck out of this town!"

Stefan blinked. "What deal?"

Damon eyed her in a way that would normally tell her to keep her mouth shut but she grinned and he knew he was screwed. "We made a deal decades ago that if one of us shut off our humanity - for whatever reason - that the other would too." Stefan and Elena's eyes widened.

Lethia poured more drinks. They clanked cups, drank, and starting twirling each other around and laughing. "If you two are clearly off in lala land," Damon started, "and are just waiting on me, why undagger Rebekah?"

"All me!" The blonde admitted eagerly with a grin. "I overheard you guys' contingency plan. The decision had already been made and I'd already been putting everything in motion. Didn't say jack shit about a wolf taking out the dagger." She winked.

"We're like, Team Girl Power," Nova beamed. "We'll take down Klaus and _anyone_ in our way."

Stefan gulped. "Anyone?"

She grinned, showing her fangs, and hung off of Damon. "Anyone, anytime, anyplace."


	10. the Darkest Light Can Deliver My Love

10: But Only the Darkest Light Can Deliver My Love.

Bonnie sighed and sipped her coffee. She had called Elena to the Grill. "I had the weirdest and honestly pretty frightening dream last night," she told the brunette quietly.

Elena looked sympathetically at her. "What happened?"

"I was walking through the woods and ended up at the old witch house. Whispers brought me to the basement where I found four coffins. One was higher than the rest; I opened it. Klaus was laying inside dessicated with your necklace in his hands."

"That does sound creepy," the brunette commented.

"That's not the worst part," Bonnie muttered. Her friend quirked a brow. "The lid slammed down suddenly - it almost took off my hands. Nova stood there laughing, dripping in blood with this extravagant crown on her head. And when I say she was dripping in blood I mean both not hers splattered all over herself and her own…" She shook her head and sipped more coffee. "She had deep, dark fang holes on her neck, her nose was bleeding, it looked like she was crying blood, and I think there was a hole in her chest from being staked but she was still alive like she just ripped it out...she seemed so triumphant that Klaus was dead and not her…" She shuddered.

Elena's expression had turned fearful. Bonnie could tell her dream had struck a nerve; something similar happened. It was an omen.

The brunette sighed. "Nova shut her humanity off," she told her friend quietly. "Mikael stopped the wedding but Klaus got the white oak stake and killed him. Nova couldn't deal and just...shut it off." Bonnie gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. "She says she took something of value to Klaus and hid it. The coffins must be his family he takes with him everywhere. We don't know what she's up to but she's got Lethia and Rebekah as teammates and apparently her and Damon made a deal years ago that if one of them shut off their humanity, the other would follow."

Bonnie was mortified. "Rebekah?" She gasped. Elena nodded solemnly. "Wh-what about Damon? He hasn't shut it off too, has he?"

Elena's eyes wandered over to the bar. Bonnie's followed and they found Damon sitting there drowning himself in liquor. Alaric sat beside him grading midterms.

"Are you sure it's wise to be that drunk when Nova's running around without her humanity and Klaus is about to wage war?" Ric asked, not looking up from his papers.

Damon shrugged. "What am I supposed to do, Ric? We promised each other decades ago that when one shuts it off we both do."

"Are you an idiot?"

He rolled his eyes. "We're that close, although it might shock you. Every stupid thing I've ever done she was right there. Every fight she ever got in I was right there. She only ever left because I was an idiot and still clung to the thought of Katherine. She was right to leave. Is it right of me to not shut off my humanity when she needs me against Klaus?"

"This may come as a shock but I am not here to hang out with you. I'm here to see Jeremy. Who is an hour late for his shift." He put down another midterm with a large, red 'F' on it. Jeremy's name was scribbled on top. "That's his mid-term paper. Copied it straight off the Internet. Didn't even try to hide it."

"Did you say you are waiting for Jeremy, as in Jeremy Gilbert?" came the bartender.

"Yeah?"

"Oh, he quit a few days ago when we came under new ownership." She smiled.

"New ownership?" Damon questioned.

She nodded. "Yeah, Nova Vasile took over ¾ of ownership. She offered Jeremy something better than being a busboy here. She seemed really interested and he seemed pretty excited." She shrugged.

Alaric sighed. "Do I even want to know?"

Damon rubbed his face. "No, no you probably don't because then Elena will know and she'll lose her damn mind if she knows."

The door whipped open dramatically and all eyes turned to see Nova, Lethia, and Rebekah strutting in. They were all dressed extremely well, Nova standing tall between them both. She wore skin tight, black, ripped skinny jeans, black stiletto heels, a low cut black v-neck, and dark green leather jacket. Damon nearly choked on his drink and quickly tipped the rest in the glass in one gulp.

Even Alaric had been staring. He let out a low whistle. "At the very least I can see what makes it so conflicting. Has she always looked like that?"

He nodded slowly, still not looking away from the ravenette. "Thinking about it now, she's always stood out in beauty even better than Katherine ever could."

The door opened again and all fell silent as Klaus sauntered in with one of his hybrids. Nova turned around with a smile and her girls behind her. "Klaus," she greeted him.

"Don't mind me," he told her with a smirk. "I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate." He nodded and his hybrid went to the bar for drinks.

"You gonna do this in the Grill, which I now mostly own? In front of everyone? It's a little beneath you, don't you think?" Nova taunted with a hand on her hip.

"Don't worry luv, I'll be on my way with my sister soon enough. Unless you're looking to marry me, of course."

Rebekah took her arm with her own. "I'm not leaving, Nik. Nova and Lethia are my friends. We're a team now."

"And I'd much prefer to be poked in the heart slowly with toothpicks like darts than be your wife," the ravenette added with a sick smile.

Klaus flicked his tongue against his teeth and nodded slowly. "Truth is I've grown to rather like your little town. Think I might fancy a home here. Oh I imagine you're wondering how does this is affect you. The answer is: not in the slightest. As long as I get what I want and everyone behaves themselves you can go on living your little lives however you choose. You have my word."

She scowled. "What more could you possibly want?"

"Something precious has been taken from me, you see. Our family. Four coffins. I want them back, Nova."

She smirked again. "Maybe they're playing hide and seek because their brother is a massive _pizdă._ " She winked at him. Lethia whispered what the Romanian word meant to Rebekah and she started to laugh.

Klaus, however, was not so amused. Anger was clear on his face and he lunged at Nova. Rebekah and Lethia moved to protect their companion but Klaus' hand had already slapped against someone else's. In a flash Damon had appeared in front of all three girls, surprising them all, including Klaus. He squeezed hard, snapping a few small bones in his wrist.

A twisted grin spread across Nova's face like the Grinch. She stepped past her girls up to Damon and stood on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. She rested her chin on his shoulder, staring up at Klaus menacingly. "I'd love to stick around and chat about how I'm going to ruin you piece by piece but I'm here for work." She winked and kissed Damon's cheek before walking off towards the stage.

Rock music started to play and the lights turned onto Nova. All eyes fell on her as she started to sing. " _I need a gangsta, to love me better, than all the others do; To always forgive me, ride or die with me; That's just what gangsters do…_ "

* * *

Back at the boarding house, Damon poured himself a drink. He tried desperately to stop thinking about what he was going to do. Should he try to get Nova's humanity back on or just shut his off? They vowed they would shut it off. Would it be betraying her if he didn't? He sighed when he realized he was no longer alone.

"I think it's about time we had a drink, don't you?"

He poured a second glass and turned to Klaus, handing it to him with a half smirk. "I'd say we're overdue."

"Well, you've been so busy with all your plotting and scheming."

"You know me, always at Nova's beck and call being her savior."

"Quite a cute little relationship it is that you two have, isn't it?"

"Not much of a relationship; just been best friends for a long time."

He nodded slowly. "I assume the part that makes the two of you 'best' friends is feeding on one another and sleeping together?"

Damon didn't respond. He sipped his bourbon quietly, never taking his eyes off of Klaus.

"You know, your drink stinks of vervain- so I can't compel you. There'd be no point in killing you because you're actually the one with the most help of getting me what I need. And yet it would seem a demonstration is in order. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough when I said I wanted those coffins back. Well, it seems you people respond best to displays of violence. Why don't you take this as an example of my reach?" He smirked and took out his phone, making a call. "There he is! So, that thing I told you to do...why don't you go ahead and get on with it?"

* * *

Jeremy's footsteps tapped against the pavement as he mindlessly walked into the middle of the road. Elena and Alaric went running and screaming after him as a car whipped around the corner, visibly speeding. "Jeremy!" Elena cried. "Jeremy move!"

He stood there. A dark blur whizzed by, knocking Jeremy out of the way and to his sister. The car crashed, smashing up into itself like an accordion. Nova appeared through the smoke with a smile and one hand on the hood which stopped the car at full speed. The hybrid driving tried his best to exit the car but the doors had been shoved in, preventing them from opening. Nova waltzed over to one of the doors and ripped it off the car, yanking out the hybrid. Without hesitation or a care in the world she took his head off like a child flicking off the head of a dandelion.

She brushed off her hands and walked over to Jeremy, helping him up. "I apologize that Klaus was able to get to you and use you for leverage. It won't happen again; I'll be stepping up security since he wants to play dirty."

Elena snapped and started to yell. "What the hell is this?! And what have you done to my brother?! He quit his job at the Grill for you? What the hell are you making him do?"

"Elena," Jeremy groaned.

"He works for me now," Nova replied simply. "He can't live off of a busboy's salary. Trust me, I've had to crunch the numbers. The old guy made an absolute mess of his papers." She shook her head. "I assure you no harm will come to your brother so long as he works for me. He'll be making at least twice what he was at the Grill."

She was baffled and at a loss for words. "Can I-can I even trust you? You shut your fucking humanity off and want Damon to do the same! What the hell is your endgame?"

"Relax yourself, Elena," she rolled her eyes, turning away. "I gave your brother a better paying job. Take it and the benefits or die at Klaus' hand."

* * *

Klaus' phone started to ring. He answered it with a smirk. "Is it done?"

"Nice try, Klaus," Nova sang on the other end. He scowled immediately. "Jeremy is safe and sound with no collateral and a dead hybrid. You care to try that again?"

"You can't save them all," he snarled into the phone. "For a girl with her humanity off you sure do seem to care about the people in this town. Wonder who I'll go after next if I don't get my bloody fucking coffins back."

She started to laugh. "Go ahead, Klaus. You can ask Damon - I know you're at the boarding house - I've always loved the thrill of the hunt. Jeremy works for me so he's under my watch. I'm selective, don't worry. I'm sure you'll drop some bodies I don't care about. I know I already have. And if you even think of lashing out on Damon while you're there I'll make damn sure you never see the coffins or your family inside _ever_ again. _Dai dracu._ "

The call ended and Klaus broke his phone in his hand. He glared at Damon icily with a snarl before storming out of the house. A moment after, his phone pinged with a text from Nova.

* * *

Damon grumbled as he wandered around the old witch house. Slowly and hesitantly because he's had issues with the witch spirits before, he stepped inside. "Nova," he called. It better not have been some sick joke.

"Come downstairs!" Her voice echoed through the darkness. When he didn't move and she didn't hear any creaking she started to laugh. "Quit being a pussy!"

He rolled his eyes and headed towards the basement. As he descended he could see candlelight and smell various herbs burning. When he reached the bottom he found Nova standing before four nice, black coffins. Three were open, showing the daggered and dessicated forms of Elijah, Kol, and Finn Mikaelson. "The fourth is spelled shut," she told him, running her fingers gently along the smooth wood. "I've been debating on removing the daggers from the boys."

He blinked, brows raised with shock. "Have you lost whatever marbles were left jingling around up there?"

She laughed a little and shrugged. "Think about it - they've all got to be pissed with Klaus for daggering them. Finn's been in a box since the beginning because Klaus never trusted him. Kol since the 1920s because he wanted to separate from his siblings to live his own life and have fun. And Elijah recently for obvious reasons. They went against their big, bad hybrid brother and ended up in boxes for it. Rebekah would have been the same if not for Lethia."

Damon didn't answer. He just stared at her as she wafted around the basement, dancing around in her own mind.

"My parents tried to force my hand in marriage after they got done experimenting," she told him quietly. "All I could do was sit, tied to my throne, and watch. I couldn't even feel my limbs. Suitor after suitor passed by and my parents judged who would be a good enough 'mate' for me." Her face scrunched up into disgust.

"Is that why you rathered shutting off your humanity instead of marrying Klaus?"

She leaned against the closed coffin and smiled up at him. If he didn't know her humanity was off he might not have guessed it the way she looked at him. "I swore since I was a child that I will never marry a man I don't love. Everything I do will be for love. And there's no way in seven hells that I would do anything for Klaus Mikaelson. I'd obviously rather shut off my humanity and fight than stand by his side."

Damon stepped closer to her and pulled her tightly to him, wrapping his arms around her small frame and resting his chin on the top of her head. He felt her arms snake around his waist. "I don't blame you," he told her quietly, petting her hair with one hand. "You're fearless, and crazier than I am. You're my queen. And god help anyone who dares disrespect my queen." Slowly, his eyes closed.

* * *

[Flashback; New Orleans, 1940]

"Damn," some guy whistled, staring up at Nova sing and dance in a club. "That is one hot lady."

Beside him Damon smirked as he sipped his bourbon. "She is quite talented, isn't she? That's my Nova."

His eyes widened and he choked on his beer. "That's your girl?" Damon nodded slowly without looking at him. "Shit, man, I don't mean any disrespect…"

Damon waved Nova over at the end of her song. She happily bounced over and sat on his lap with her arms around his neck. "None taken, I assure you," he smirked at the stranger. "As long as the lady is happy that's all that matters. What do you think, _dolcezza_?"

"That's the guy?" Nova purred with a sickening smile.

"That's the guy," he responded with an equally alarming smile.

The man started to sweat. Nova stood and went behind him with her hands on his shoulders. She leaned close to his ear to whisper. "You shot me at one of my other clubs a few days ago. You held my bartender at gunpoint and took all the money in the safe. Plot twist: a metal bullet won't kill me but we're going to kill you. This club is very friendly to our kind."

He tried to stand but her hands kept her firmly in his seat. Several people looked at him through the darkness. He knew he wasn't making it out of the club.

* * *

[Present]

Damon's eyes opened and a frost had came in over his icy blue eyes. His lips tugged into a smirk. He pulled back a little, enough to kiss Nova's forehead tenderly. He looked down at her and she started to grin. "Come on, _dolcezza_ , we've got a lot of work to do."

Nova reached up and touched his face. He had joined her and shut off his humanity. She jumped to her tiptoes and kissed him passionately.

* * *

 **Chapter Titles:**

01: Monster - Vocaloid (GUMI)

02: Exorcism - Vocaloid

03: Game of Survival - Ruelle

04: Like A Vampire - Catrien Maxwell

05: Heathens - twenty-one pilots, Halestorm, RVLS (so many great covers lol)

06: Imperfection - Evanescence

07: Lacrymosa - Evanescence

08: Dark in My Imagination - of Verona

09: Black Widow - In This Moment

10: Dark Nights - Dorothy

 **A/N:** Sorry not sorry for the rapid updates (I mean, who would really complain? lol). I'm only writing the last chapter for season 3 and decided to start posting the earlier chapters while I did. I just can't decide if I want to make a new book for season 4 or just keep going in this one. When I start planning it out and figure it out I'll let everyone know!  
xoxo


	11. We Converge As One

11: We Converge As One.

"Good morning," Damon greeted his brother with a smirk as he descended the stairs.

Stefan eyed his suspiciously. "You're late. We're supposed to meet Nova and Bonnie at the witch house in ten minutes."

He scoffed. "Then we're not late." He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Surprised Nova got Bonnie's help. Wonder how that came about. Does it concern you, Stefan?"

He made a face. "You seem awfully chipper considering the circumstances. Did I miss something?"

Damon shrugged. "Nova didn't marry Klaus. I consider that a win."

"But her humanity is off, Mikael is dead, and she wants you to shut yours off. That's not a win. She's gonna get pissed off sooner than later."

"At least you know that much," he chuckled.

"Be serious, Damon. Until Klaus is taken care of we have to be wary of Nova. She wants you to shut it off; do you think if you faked it she'd know the difference?"

Damon looked at his brother for a moment before laughing and walking out the door.

* * *

"Why won't you open?!" Bonnie yelled at the sealed coffin.

Nova sat on top of Kol's coffin with three old grimoires. Two were Bonnie's and one from her own family. She wasn't sure if it'd be useful at all but it couldn't hurt to read through it. She laughed a little. "Whoever is sealed in there must be important and freak out Klaus. Can't be step-daddy since he walked the Earth hunting his ass and now he's dead," she rolled her eyes.

"It's likely someone related to him or at least important to him somehow, right?"

"That's the logical assumption. I don't know what happened to his wolfy dad and he killed his mother but mommy dearest was the Original witch. Maybe she had some tricks up her sleeve when she realized her son snapped."

Bonnie shrugged and sat for a moment, looking up at the ravenette. "Any particular reason you're sitting on top of Kol Mikaelson's coffin?"

Nova finally looked up from the book in her lap with a grin. "It's probably the closest thing to a beautiful woman sitting on him he'll ever get." She winked.

Bonnie started to laugh which surprised even herself. Moments after Stefan and Damon arrived. Stefan was confused to hear Bonnie laughing when it was just her and Nova in the basement. He immediately questioned Nova's motive and she rolled her eyes. "I may be a psychopath who shut off her humanity but I was raised into royalty, you know. Humanity on or off that shit sticks. I know how to treat people with respect instead of harming and using them like my parents did to get what I want or need. Besides," she tapped the grimoire to her right, "I've had this for decades. What do I need it for?"

The witch nodded. "It's true, she doesn't mean me any harm. Nova offered me a month's vacation wherever I want with whoever I want if I can get the casket open and she's trying to help me. She just doesn't have the magic to actually do it."

"I've tried having her channel my energy but it's still not enough. Whoever is locked in there has some serious mojo." She shrugged and jumped down from the coffin, bouncing her way to Damon to kiss his cheek. He smirked and held her at his side with an arm around her waist. She turned to Bonnie with a smile. "You mind if we take off? We've got someone to meet real quick."

She nodded and started to pack her stuff. "Yeah, that's fine; I've got to get to school anyways. Meet back here later?"

"Just give me a call!" She grinned and her and Damon vanished.

Stefan turned to Bonnie with concern. "Is it just me or are they both acting strangely now?"

"Do you think it's because Nova shut off her humanity?"

He looked to the stairs where he last watched his brother and Nova walk away. His olive eyes were pensive and worried. "I'm afraid Damon might have already shut his off too."

* * *

When Klaus walked into his mansion he was surprised, to say the least, at who was sitting on his couch waiting for him. He scowled; not only was Damon on his couch, in his home, but Nova sat on his lap hanging off him. "Well this is certainly unexpected. To what do I owe this displeasure? Unless, of course, you're here to give me Nova." He looked over her possessively.

They both started to laugh. He almost shuddered. "We don't like your hybrid friends." Nova told him. "They're everywhere, kind of like fleas. We want them gone."

"We, hm? Got yourself a new team member?"

She stood slowly with Damon right behind her and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry, you seem to be confused. You know how in a business there's a manager who has people working under her? That's me and the girls; I'm the manager and they help me out. But above the manager is the CEO of the company. That's Damon." She grinned and winked.

"Get your hybrids out of Mystic Falls or I will remove them myself." Damon told him with a smile.

Klaus laughed a little. "This is a joke, right? I'll consider thinning the number of hybrids in town if you agree to marry me, luv."

Damon stepped in front of Nova, still smiling. "That's not even an option to bargain if we were bargaining but we're not. We're _telling you_ to get your hybrids out of our fucking town."

He tilted his head to the side, arms crossed over his chest. "Something's different about you, mate. You're extra brave and protective of little Nova today. I wonder what's changed."

"I've just had enough of you disrespecting my queen, _mate._ "

Two hybrids entered, blocking the remaining exits. The two smirked and moved faster than Klaus or his hybrids could see. In a flash the hybrids' heads were ripped clean off, blood splattering on the walls and floor. Nova wiped the blood across her cheeks like warpaint, staring up at Klaus with pride. "I'll tear every single one of your hybrids limb from limb over and over again until you get the hint that I will _never_ marry you."

Klaus looked between the two with widened eyes. It was very obvious that Nova had shut her humanity off and he'd heard a rumor she and Damon made a deal long ago for him to do the same. He could tell Damon must have given in. Nova had incredible strength, he had to admit, even with her humanity on. When she turned it off she gave him an even better beat down. Clearly Damon also had more strength with his off as well. How curious.

Realizing that made him extra angry. He snarled and lunged for Nova's throat. Before he could get his hands on her he was swiftly flung across the room, narrowly missing a large window. He groaned as he hit the ground. The impact cracked the wall. When his vision cleared he looked up to see Damon with vile hatred in his eyes.

"If you ever even try to lay a finger on my girl ever again," he growled darkly down at the hybrid, "I will tear your heart from your chest ventricle by ventricle." He took Nova's hand a kissed it before leading her out of the mansion.

* * *

"What now?" Klaus groaned when Stefan pulled him out of a conversation. They were at the Founder's Party. "You just pulled me away from a fascinating conversation about landscaping the Town Square."

"Nova took Elena."

He blinked and clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Well, she's getting desperate."

"She's gonna try and use her against you. Do what she says, get rid of your hybrids. Please, Klaus. This is Elena's life."

"Relax, humanity on or off she would never dream of killing Elena."

Stefan's face twitched. "Are you fucking for real right now? Yes she would! She probably has! For fuck's sake Damon just tried to behead someone in the middle of a Council party. He's operating on crazy right now because of Nova!"

"So you know then?"

"Know what?"

Damon came up to them, laughing. "It'd probably be a wise idea for you to listen to the lady."

Klaus' phone rang. "Nova, luv, how nice to hear your voice."

Nova snickered. She was speeding down a dark road grinning wildly. "Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus."

"Not happening until I get my coffins back."

"Okay," she shrugged, "well then I'm gonna drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge!"

"No! No! No!" Elena screamed. "Nova, please don't!"

"I don't believe you, Nova," Klaus told her sternly. "You won't kill her."

"That is too boring, isn't it? I've got a better idea then!" She lifted her left knee to steer so she could remove her right hand and bite the wrist, forcing it into Elena's mouth. "I just fed her my blood. No more hybrids if she's a vampire!"

"You won't do it." Klaus denied.

"Klaus!" Stefan shouted. "What the fuck!"

"Nova! Please slow down!" Elena screamed, tears running down her face. "Nova please! Please stop!"

"Try me, because your coffins are next to go. Say goodbye to your family Klaus. I think I'll start with Elijah since he always defended you and Kol last because he didn't deserve your wrath."

"Nova please stop!"

"You know, I've never turned anyone before. If you don't send away your hybrids Elena will make a fine first turn when I drive her off the bridge."

Stefan tried to grab Klaus' collar but he swatted Stefan away. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll send them away! Stop the bloody car!"

Nova laughed hysterically and slammed on the brakes, ending the call. Damon smirked. "Good choice. Because Elijah really would have been next." He pat Klaus' shoulder and walked off.

Stefan watched his brother walk away with widened eyes. Klaus looked at him. "So you didn't know then. Lovely. Your charming brother and Nova came to me earlier today. Killed two of my hybrids in my home. He flipped the switch too, mate."

He still stared after his brother even after he was out of sight. "Yeah," he sighed with a frown, "I realize that now."

* * *

The car skidded, finally stopping in the middle of Wickery Bridge. Elena threw the door open and fell out onto the ground. She scrambled to her feet and started to run as Nova got out of the car. "Get back in the car, Elena," she drawled boredly.

"Stay away from me!" the brunette cried. "How could you?! My parents died going over this bridge. I almost died!"

"I know."

"Wh- _what?_ "

" _I know._ I know all about your tragic sob story and your adoption. Shitty uncle John, Stefan being the one to save you from the crash, blah blah blah." Nova rolled her eyes. Elena was visibly appalled. "Sorry kid, to beat the villain you must be the better villain."

"How can you be like this?" She questioned with astonishment. "How are you okay with Damon watching you spiral like this? Doesn't it kill him inside?"

Nova's lips pulled into a sadistic smile. She held up the car keys. "This was all Damon's idea, darling."

Elena's breath caught in her throat. Her legs started to shake. Her dark brown eyes looked behind Nova and through the headlights. She could see the baby blue paint and Chevy sign on the grill of the car. It was Damon's Camaro.

* * *

Nova sat on a rocking chair with her eyes closed. She was on the porch of a nice house in the woods. Her phone vibrated on her thigh and she lifted it to see a text from Rebekah. She chuckled and shook her head.

 _Had to snap the history teacher's neck. Sorry xoxo  
_ _In our defense he did try to stake me and gave Lethia a nasty black eye.  
_ _He's safe and sound in bed at home with that stupid ring on.  
_ _Should be awake eventually.  
_ _Xoxo_

She heard leaves crunch and looked up to find Damon walking up the few stairs. "What's this place? I didn't even know it was here."

She smiled and looked around at the trees. "This is my home in Mystic Falls; I own it. I had it built before I came back. It's finally finished."

"You planned on coming back?" He asked as he sat on the railing in front of her.

She looked at him and her expression softened. "I suppose in a way I did."

The two of them sat in a peaceful quiet for a few minutes before Damon spoke. "So I think I might have a solution to open that coffin."

Nova quirked a brow, still rocking. "Yeah?"

He reached into his jacket pocket and took out a photo of a woman to show her. "Abby Bennett. Bonnie's mom that ditched her."

Her lips pulled into a sly smirk. "I like where this is going."


	12. Because You're Mine

12: Because You're Mine.

"How many of these are there?" Bonnie sighed as she and Elena went through several folders full of Abby Bennetts.

"A lot." The brunette leaned back in her chair. "I asked the sheriff's office to pull up every single Abby Bennett in the country."

"I know we haven't been able to really...that things had been weird, because of Jeremy, so, thank you for helping me with this. I know you have a lot to deal with."

"There's nothing more important, Bonnie." She smiled softly.

"It's surreal. Having to track down a woman, who bailed on her own kid."

"You know, you don't have to, right? Let Nova and Damon obsess over opening up the coffin. It doesn't have to fall on you."

"The coffin is spelled shut. That makes it a witch problem. So it does fall on me. I was bound to see my mother again sooner or later. As for Nova and Damon," she ran a hand through her curls. "Nova I can at least say doesn't mean me any harm. She has this goal to be vindicated because of what Klaus has put her through. Whatever ideals her parents forced into her must have been messed up."

Elena looked around the kitchen suspiciously before leaning closer to Bonnie. Her voice fell to a whisper. "Stefan begged me not to because if they ever find out we're toast but," she looked around again, "when Damon went looking for her crown, he left a paper trail towards her family. Most of it is really old Romanian but we're working on it."

Bonnie gasped. They both jumped when Damon appeared in the doorway. He smirked in a way that terrified them; had he heard what Elena said? He held up a manila envelope, still smirking and eyeing Elena. "Abby Bennett Wilson, Monroe, North Carolina. Born in Mystic Falls Hospital, graduated at Mystic Falls High...blah blah blah." He tossed the envelope onto the table in front of Bonnie. "A little compulsion helps sped up the research process."

"This is her," the witch breathed, looking over the papers.

"Yep. Enjoy the road trip." He turned to leave but looked back when he heard Elena stand abruptly from her chair.

She looked at him with deadly suspicion. "You're just giving us the information and telling us to be on our way?"

"Was I not clear enough?" He snickered.

"That's just...it's not like Damon. No snarky remarks, no forcing yourself to come; just letting me and Bonnie be on our merry way to see the woman that abandoned her in the hopes that she can help open that stupid coffin?"

His smirk turned into a grin that made her shrink back down into her chair. "I've got better things to do today. Sorry, ladies."

* * *

[Flashback; United States, 1960]

Nova's boisterous laugh filled the city street. "What's the matter, _iubițel_ , are you not fond of the freedom of press?" She snickered and tapped the woman's head with her shoe while she stared at the headless corpse.

Damon chuckled and wiped off his hands. "She actually tried to vervain me." Nova frowned and looked up at him. "She knew about the bastards that had me for five years. Safe assumption she was trying to drag me back."

She twirled in her emerald dress and the skirt flowed around her. Her foot launched out as she came to a stop and slammed the woman's severed head down the road. He started to laugh and picked her up, setting her down on the hood of a car. She had wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled up at him.

[Flashback; Paris, France, 1927]

" _No one calls you honey when you're sitting on a throne  
_ _I'll be high up in that tower, he'll be down there getting stoned  
_ _Beware the patient woman, cause this much I know  
_ _No one calls you honey when you're sitting on a throne…_ "

Damon stopped when he heard her voice. It was always how he knew he was almost home. He looked up with a smile; Nova sat on the balcony of their flat singing into the night sky with only the moon and stars watching her. Her hair hung loosely in waves down her back, reflecting the slightest red tint in the moonlight. She wore a black silk nightgown and open emerald robe.

" _Cause I am, I am a little wicked  
_ _I am, I am  
_ _Hands red, hands red just like he said  
_ _I am a little wicked!_ "

She had noticed him and smiled as she continued to sing. She stopped suddenly when the door was kicked open. She jumped but clung to the rail of the balcony as a strange man stormed in straight for her. Before he got close she let go of the rail, allowing herself to fall backwards and straight down. She landed with a soft thud, looking up with a grin at Damon, who had caught her with ease.

"We seem to have a hunter problem, _iubițel._ "

He set her down gently, her bare feet barely touching the pavement as he kept her close to his chest. "We should take care of him before he thinks he can run then." He smirked.

* * *

[Present]

"What took you so long?" Klaus complained as he walked into the basement of the witch house. "Hiding behind your witchy friends. And in squalor, no less."

Damon smirked as the candle flames grew and pain shot through the hybrid, bringing him to his knees. "Insulting a bunch of dead witches...not smart. I made the exact same mistake first time I came in here."

Klaus snarled. "Well, you know, the funny thing about witches is, that living or death, they care about their own. A hundred dead witches have a thousand living descendants…"

More pain and Damon started to laugh. "I guess they favor the calm requests of a Vasile than the demands of a Mikaelson." He shrugged and nodded. Three of the coffins appeared.

The pain finally subsided entirely and Klaus got to his feet with fury. "Where's the fourth?!" He shouted. "Quite funny how it and little Nova aren't here for show and tell."

Damon smirked, leaning against one of the coffins. "Funny thing is, I was going to give you the BOTD - that stands for 'benefit of the doubt'," he winked mockingly, "and give you all four as a show of good faith for getting rid of the hybrids. But you know Nova. Oh that's right, you really don't, do you? See, she's had enough of your shit and took off with the fourth somewhere where I don't even know where she is." He shrugged. "Oops."

"I will tear you, limb from limb. And only then, when you're a riving mass of blood and flesh, will I rip your heart from your chest."

"Go ahead," Damon walked up to him, standing shoulder to shoulder. He smirked and clapped Klaus' shoulder with his hand. "Whatever you do, Nova will retaliate ten fold. The same rules apply. You know, leverage and all. I know you want your family back. But something tells me, you want what's in that coffin _a lot_ more."

* * *

[Flashback; San Francisco, 1963]

Nova sighed and groaned when she opened her eyes. She was held upside down by what she could only assume were vervain dripping ropes. She couldn't feel any pain but the ropes were soaked in something and dripping down her leg. "You fellas sure are daft," she called to anyone who would hear. "All you're doing is weakening the rope! You probably should have used chains."

A tall, burly man entered the warehouse in her eyesight. He was clearly annoyed and confused. "Are you not a vampire, child?"

"Did you not capture me just after your comrade stopped breathing because I tore into his throat?"

"Our families have fought your kind for ages. Why is it vervain does not harm only you? Who and what are you?"

She grinned, baring her fangs, and waved obnoxiously. "My name is Nova Vasile. I'm a bloodthirsty monster who's going to drink you dry if my best friend doesn't find you and do it first."

He laughed a little. "Any feeble rescue party coming for you will be dealt with." He pulled out a different herb and shoved it in her face. She only sneezed on the plant. "Amazing, not wolfsbane either."

"Well I'm not a wolf, so…"

"Daniel!" The man called. Another large man entered and his eyes glinted gold. A werewolf.

Nova groaned loudly. "I would really rather you didn't. Wolves usually aren't too fond of the taste of my blood. Aanndd you don't want to listen, okay." She rolled her eyes when the wolf took her arm and bit down as hard as he could. She didn't even flinch but he started coughing and spitting out whatever blood got in his mouth. "I did try to warn you, sir." The wound slowly started to close and people started screaming outside. Nova grinned. "Ah, the cavalry has arrived!"

She started to swing around in the ropes, pulling herself up and letting herself dangle while she laughed. One of the outside guards' bloody faces was thrust into the small glass window before the door was burst open. The two men fought as best as their human bodies could allow but Damon was quicker and stronger.

"You really shouldn't have tried to harm a lady," he told them, holding them both by their throats. "Especially not _my_ lady." With a smirk on his face both of their heads flew off in separate directions. He looked to Nova and laughed as she still dangled herself around. "Well come on, get yourself down. You can't play up there forever."

She snickered and untied herself, dropping to her feet with ease. "Ah come on, that was fun!"

"Do you have any idea who those people were?"

She shook her head and brushed herself off. "Nope!"

He put his arm around her, leading her out of the warehouse. "Mob hunters of all different kinds."

She laughed and curled up to his side as they walked. "See! Tons of fun!"

* * *

[Flashback; Boston, 1979]

Damon started to laugh. It was just so funny that not even the vervain ropes binding him to a chair hurt him. Four men stood around him and started looking at one another with concern. "Oh you really picked the wrong vampire, boys."

"You killed our friend!" One of the scrawnier ones shouted. "Just left him for dead!"

He shrugged, looking up at the man with no remorse. "You should see what my girlfriend is going to do to you morons." He smirked.

The scrawny fella was offered up to go retrieve the vervain. He muttered as he walked away, the mutterings stopping suddenly. They were replaced with a quick 'woosh' and filled with silence. The three remaining men armed themselves with obviously handmade stakes. The first fell from above, dropping in a bloody heap at their feet. One of them dropped their stake in fear; he was pulled with a quick scream into the darkness.

"What is this?!" The largest bellowed towards Damon.

He started to laugh. "I told you that you picked the wrong vampire. My sweetheart is twice as volatile as me. You're going to see all your little friends here torn to shreds before she does the same to you."

The second came crashing down even more torn up than the first. The third started to scream; Nova appeared and latched onto his throat. Blood dripped in heaps down his neck and chest. She ripped her fangs from his neck, tearing the skin and letting him drop. The leader tried to run but she appeared before him and dug her nails into his throat. His friends' blood dripped, still warm, down her chin and lips.

"You tried," she smiled before snapping his neck with her one hand. He fell to the ground and she bounced over to Damon, breaking him free from the vervain ropes. "Consider the debt repaid," she winked up at him.

* * *

[Present]

Stefan wasn't terribly thrilled when he got home and saw Damon right away. He pinched the bridge of his nose, attempting to compose himself, and poured himself a glass of whiskey. "Bonnie and Elena were attacked by one of Klaus' hybrids when they went to see Abby Bennett today."

Damon smirked over his own glass as he sat leisurely on the couch. "Shame. I assume they're still alive since you're not more violent towards me."

"You gave the the file on Abby, Damon. Did you know they were walking into a trap?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "No, but I figured something interesting was bound to happen. Saint Stefan saves the day again." He snickered. "At least, he saves Elena Gilbert's day again."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well while you were off playing superhero to your little human girlfriend, it took the eyes right off of Nova and I for the day."

Stefan's eyes widened, fear creeping up his spine. They both had their humanity shut off; _anything_ was possible. "What the fuck did you do?"

Damon reached into the inside pocket of his leather jacket and produced one of the daggers that subdued the Originals. His smirk grew slowly and devilishly into a twisted grin. "Eenie, meenie, minie, moe…"

* * *

[Flashback; Mystic Falls, 1863]

Damon and Nova crept upstairs with guilty grins, shushing each other and trying not to laugh. It had been another night of one of Giuseppe's dinner parties; the rest of the house and town had gone to bed but the two got lost in the rose garden talking. They slipped behind the door to Damon's bedroom, carefully flicking the small lock behind them.

He looked her over again like he had many times that night. Her gown fit her like a glove; a dark emerald corset bodice that flared into a black, silk skirt. Her dark hair fell in loose, bouncy waves all the way down her back. She had ditched her uncomfortable shoes hours prior without anyone but Damon noticing. He brushed her thick hair over the front of her right shoulder and started untying the black ribbon of her corset like he did every night. As the corset started to loosen she held a hand to her chest to keep it from falling down.

"Do you think," Damon started quietly, still taking his time with the ribbon, "even though you've already spent the better portion of the day with me, you might be willing to risk staying with me tonight…?"

Nova almost said 'yes' as soon as he started asking. Her cheeks tinted pink as she smiled softly and turned to face him when the ribbon was untied. She looked anywhere but his eyes, her lashes brushing briskly against her cheekbones. "I-I was honestly hoping you would ask…" She held onto the bodice nervously, her bare feet shuffling around on the cold, wood floor beneath the skirt.

"Well," he smiled, taking a couple of steps and backing her against his dresser, "then at least allow me to give you one of my shirts to wear."

Inside she was swooning uncontrollably. She tried desperately not to show it on her face even though she knew she was hopelessly blushing. "I would love that," she cursed as her Romanian accent started to seep out with her nervousness.

He reached past her towards a dresser drawer, making sure his hand just barely touched her bare shoulder. He grabbed the drawer, still looking down at the emerald eyed girl and how she clumsily held onto the top of her dress, smushing it to her chest. He leaned closer like he was going into the drawer but kissed her instead. She melted beneath him, using the dresser for support. His hand came down and brushed her bare skin. She let go of her hold on her top, allowing it to slip down.

* * *

 **A/N:** So obviously I'm not writing songs for Nova, but she is a singer so I use existing songs for her and I will credit them appropriately (as best as I can). I guess I'm starting here because clearly that song was not used in 1927 LOL but it is _A Little Wicked_ by _Valerie Broussard_.


	13. Holding Hands We'll Fall

13: Holding Hands We'll Fall.

"Who else knows about your secret little slayer stash?" Damon questioned as he walked. Someone staked the medical examiner with a Gilbert stake.

"Who doesn't?" Alaric replied over the phone. "Got weapons everywhere, here, the school, my loft, your car."

Damon rolled his eyes. "It's Klaus. It has to be, he's screwing with us."

"What if it was Nova…?" Elena asked hesitantly. "She...she was crazy that night. And you know she was trying to get underneath Klaus's skin, she was capable of pretty much anything."

"She always will be capable of anything," Damon retorted harshly. "You'll know more later. I've got to go!"

"Where are you?" Ric questioned.

"Tea," he smirked, "with an old friend." He ended the call staring at Elijah. "Elijah. My favorite Original, back from the dead. Clean up nice."

"You left something in my jacket pocket." Elijah replied, holding up a piece of paper.

Damon grinned. "Oh, yeah. "Dear Elijah, let's get together, plot the destruction of your brother, XOXO"."

"Damon," the Original was unamused.

"Was I right to undagger you or are we gonna have a problem?"

"I'm here, let's talk. I'd like to know more about Miss Vasile, including why she didn't join you here."

He chuckled. "You'll have to forgive her; Nova's on the fence about meeting the rest of the Originals since one is her new BFF and another tried to force her to marry him."

Elijah frowned. "Niklaus tried to force the last Vasile to marry him?"

"It's what pushed her over the edge to shut off her humanity and, in turn, mine."

* * *

"What is this place?" Bonnie mused as Nova led her and Abby upstairs.

"My home here in Mystic Falls for when I need time away from the boarding house," Nova smiled, walking backwards up the stairs. "The only people that know this place exists are us and Damon but I would recommend your own brand of protection spells as I cannot practice and what charms I have for protection probably aren't adequate enough."

"You speak as though you could have practiced magic," Abby commented.

She shrugged. "I don't really think it would have magic but my bloodline wasn't exactly strictly composed of humans. I may not be able to do a fancy cloaking spell but that doesn't mean I can't do magic." She leaned against a wall that looked like a door should have been there.

"What is this, Nova?" asked the younger Bennett.

The ravenette tapped the wall a few times in various spaces. The wall moved, revealing a door. Inside was a smaller than average room with no windows, lit by candles and Christmas lights. The sealed coffin sat in the middle. "And no, this isn't the only hidden room in this house." She grinned.

* * *

"Get dressed. You, me, and Stefan are going out."

Nova's face scrunched up and she looked up at the brothers; Damon was grinning but Stefan looked less than thrilled. She got up and started going through her wardrobe slowly. "What for?" The disdain was clearly because of Stefan's presence; why was he coming?

"He plans to drag us to Klaus' mansion to set up some fake truce with him and Elijah," Stefan spoke spitefully, glaring at his brother.

"Nope." Nova shook her head and closed the drawer with her hip. "Count me out."

"I didn't ask." Damon told her with a smirk, flicking through her closet. "Elijah and I have scheduled a very old-fashioned sit-down with you two and Klaus. I say go with the black mini skirt. Makes you look all villainy like you're going to choke someone out with those legs."

She crossed her arms over her chest. Stefan took a small, cautious step backwards out of her bedroom; he'd never seen her get truly angry at Damon, only mildly irritated. He could feel her blood starting to boil. "Klaus won't make a deal that doesn't involve forcing me to marry him and that's not fucking happening. I see his face and I'm going to rip it off and stomp on his soul. If he's even got one. And I can't curb stomp either of you properly in that stupid skirt."

"He doesn't have to. All we're doing is buying a little time to give our wicked witches a chance to pop the top off the coffin."

"That's your plan?" Stefan deadpanned. "To stall Klaus?"

Nova was staring up at him with astonishment. She stormed up to him and started slapping the side of his head. "Is everything working properly up in there? What the actual fuck, Damon? If you didn't go postal on his hybrids, then maybe we'd have some options."

" _I_ went postal?" He laughed. "You were about to drive Elena off of Wickery Bridge!"

"You gave me the keys to your fucking car!"

Stefan took another step back when she stood as tall as she could against him, chest to chest. Her fists would ball and open, cracking the first couple of times. "Listen," he started. Damon gave her a little shove and her right fist immediately swung up and hit his jaw, turning his head. "And punches have been thrown…" He sighed, backing away slowly.

* * *

"Niklaus, our guests have arrived," Elijah announced.

Damon stood in the middle with a grin; Stefan and Nova were clasped forcedly to each of his arms. They both looked pissed off and uncomfortable. She was wearing a black pencil skirt that covered a little more than half of her thighs, a silver and green low cut blouse, and black heels. Fire burned in her emerald eyes but Damon shoved Stefan into the manor and dragged her at his side.

Klaus smirked as he made his way over. "Damon, Stefan, and sweet little Nova." She hissed quietly and Damon elbowed her. "Elijah tells me, you seek an audience. Very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized people, shall we?"

"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus. Fact, I didn't want to come here at all. But I was told I had to cause you would hear us out." Stefan spat. For once Nova found herself nodding and praising something Stefan Salvatore said.

"Say it louder and slower in case he missed something," she quipped icily.

"Well, we can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours." The hybrid smiled wolfishly.

Nova cracked her knuckles and Damon slapped at her hands, shoving them both towards the table. Stefan rolled his eyes and angrily took a seat. Damon held a chair out for Nova; for a moment she just stood there with her arms crossed, tapping her foot with rage in her eyes. His polite smile twitched and he growled her name. She sneered and let out a low snarl before plopping down in the chair with her arms still crossed. He sighed as he took a seat between the two of them.

"That's the spirit. Isn't it nice? Four of us dining together? Such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?" Klaus smiled and started to eat.

"Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier."

"He's derailed," Nova muttered, stabbing into a piece of the meat and shoving it in her mouth. "We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses."

"We've got a long night ahead of ourselves, _dolcezza,_ " he pat her thigh before pinching the pressure points on the sides of her knee, making her twitch awkwardly. "Pace yourself."

"Stefan," Elijah smiled warmly, "Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

Nova started to snicker. "It's not exactly safe for Elena right now," he spoke slowly, clearly angry. "She was nearly in an accident on the same bridge her parents crashed on."

"My bad," the ravenette grinned toothily. "The clutch on the Camero is so much more different than my car. One second it's a friendly girl trip and the next I'm flying down a dark road near water. Guess that'll teach Damon for telling me to go pick up Elena with his car."

Damon flicked his teeth with his tongue, twirling his fork in his hand with agitation. Klaus started to chuckle. "It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger, still so strong. But it never was quite as intoxicating as the Vasile women."

Nova slammed her fork into the meat viciously, stabbing deep enough to clank the plate and nearly crack it. She glared daggers at the hybrid, wanting nothing more than to whip the fork into his trachea. Damon's hand quickly grabbed hers, gently rubbing the cool skin with his thumb. After a minute she snarled and released the fork, clinging to his hand instead. Klaus seemed to frown so she made sure their clasped hands stayed on the table.

Elijah wiped his mouth with his napkin politely. "I haven't heard the Vasile name in some time," he offered peacefully. "You're the last daughter of the Vasile?"

She nodded stiffly and sipped the wine. "I was an only child and the one to end my parents' lives. I turned before any thought of children." Small lie, she had once considered it, having children and a family in America. She knew the curse of her name would follow her so it didn't bother her when she turned before having any children.

"What prompted you to come to America? Forgive me if you've had to tell enough people your story, I'm a bit behind because of Niklaus."

She chuckled and relaxed a little. "My parents were disgusting, tyrannical, power hungry leaders. They did things and had me do things that were unforgivable. I mean at this point in my life I've done much worse," she laughed a little. "But because of what happened at the time I stowed away on the first boat I heard was going to America. I don't know how long it took but when we finally arrived I was at the port for Mystic Falls. Damon found me and his father took pity on the little immigrant girl so I stayed with the Salvatores."

The elder Mikaelson nodded, decently impressed. "I certainly see that old royalty instilled into you, even just in the way you sit. At least you were brave and strong enough to escape what your parents had done and make a life for yourself with what I assume must have been a better family. You three must be fairly close, being together so long."

Klaus scoffed. "She's much closer to Damon than she is Stefan, unlike Katerina and Elena."

Her eyes met his and she smirked arrogantly. "Oh that's very true."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "I thought we were forced here to discuss some stupid deal."

"You know, luv," Klaus ignored him, "I was wondering how those little scars on your neck came about."

By that point both Salvatores were looking at her, pleading for her to not stir the pot. As far as Nova was concerned Klaus just opened the door to free game. "I was still human for two years after the boys turned because of Katherine," they both inwardly groaned. "I scarred the night Damon turned." Klaus growled low. "You should see the tattoo I've got on my upper thigh. It's right by-"

"Okay," Damon intervened. "I think Stefan is right; we should be discussing-"

"I'm sure your parents would be rolling in their graves if they could see you now," the hybrid snarled at Nova.

She smirked and sipped her wine. "Like you're any better? If you want to be real, those fools have been rolling since I stepped foot on American soil in 1860. Do you think they'd be more disappointed with my life as a vampire the last hundred or so years or all that happened in the six years I was still human and with Damon?"

Klaus growled and stood abruptly, slamming his hands on the table and knocking his chair back. "For the love of whatever bloody god there might be, why is every portion of your life filled to the brim with fucking _Damon Salvatore?!_ "

"I mean, I never went that detailed but at least you got the gist," she grinned sadistically and started to laugh. "Not my fault he was my first for most things in my human and vampire lives."

Stefan choked on his drink. He never could catch them when they would sneakily stay together when they were still human but he knew they would. He hadn't wanted to catch them to tell his father, moreso just to see them happy. He never knew the full extent of their relationship, even then, and he honestly could have lived without the information. Beside him Damon sighed and rubbed his face. Klaus looked like he was going to pop a blood vessel with fury. Elijah leaned back in his chair with a sigh; their brother Kol's laugh came to his mind.

Nova rose to her feet gracefully, placing her napkin from her lap on the table. "Please excuse me, I'm going to get some fresh air." She forced a smile and turned, walking out the front door.

Elijah looked to Damon, ignoring his own brother pacing and seething. "Would you mind if I spoke to her outside?"

He chuckled and tipped back what was left in his wine glass. "Be my guest."

Outside Elijah found her sitting on the steps, staring up at the night sky and smoking a cigarette. He could hear her singing softly. " _All you have to do is stay, a minute, just take your time, the clock is ticking, so stay. All you have to do is stay, a second, your hands on mine, the clock is ticking, so stay...all you have to do is stay…_ "

He laughed a little and pat her shoulder, sitting beside her on the stairs. "I didn't peg you to be the type."

She chuckled and took a long drag, blowing out a thick cloud of smoke. "Well it's either this and a nice bedtime blunt or thousands of dollars on cocaine and twice as much weed and Virginia has terribly coke but cheap cigarettes and not awful weed." She shrugged. "Plus there's endless aged whiskey at the boarding house and who doesn't love that?"

"There are plenty of people with high quality cocaine in this state just as well as the rest." He gave her a sideglance and small smile.

She took another long drag with the softest smile. "Yeah, I know. But they don't." She nodded to the inside of the mansion.

"I understand you've become close with my sister Rebekah and that Miss Kross saved her from some extra time under a dagger."

Nova nodded and put out the end of the cigarette; she put the butt back in her pack to be respectful. "We've had some quality girl time. Blondes really are more fun."

"Do you appreciate Rebekah's friendship more because she knows how much you love Damon and that she was even willing to sabotage Niklaus for the two of you?"

She took out another cigarette and lit it up. "I will _never_ marry Klaus. I would sooner watch this entire town burn."

"You fell in love with Damon when the two of you were still human, didn't you?"

She took a long drag and closed her eyes for a moment, holding the smoke. After a moment she breathed the cloud into the sky. "It was the day I landed in Mystic Falls off the boat. I thought it was bad when I was human." She scoffed. "It got worse."

Elijah smiled and stood, brushing off his nice pants. "You're a bright girl, Nova." She looked up at him. "You'll figure it out." He turned and walked back into the mansion.

Nova sighed and rubbed her face with her free hand. She took one more drag off the cigarette and clipped it halfway, slipping it back into her pack. She slipped it back into the right side of her bra and it vanished. With another sigh she forced herself back into the mansion as well. She saw Damon's eyes first; he looked at her in a way that asked if she was alright. She shrugged and waved him off, lazily telling him not to worry about it. "So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?" Elijah offered.

"That's very simple." Damon spoke up, standing in front of Nova and Stefan. "Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Nova, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges."

"That deal sounds fair, brother," he looked to Klaus.

"I don't think you understand," the younger brother argued. "Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind. How about this, hm? You see, what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot. And to fall in love with a human, maybe that nice football player, you know the blond one?"

Stefan cut his eyes at him. "And continue the Petrova bloodline. Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelgänger to drain and never run out of hybrids, right Klaus?"

"Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. And to ensure good faith that I do so will be my darling wife." He smirked at Nova.

"Absolutely not, Niklaus," Elijah snapped before anyone else could, surprising them. "You are not forcing a woman to marry you, let alone Nova Vasile."

He growled, glaring at his brother. "You're siding with them, brother?"

Nova stepped past the Salvatore brothers, standing in front of them both and staring up at the Mikaelsons. "Nothing in Elena Gilbert's life will ever resemble normal again no matter the circumstances. There is no protecting her from the evils and supernatural, only sustaining her life as long as humanly possible so you can keep making your stupid hybrids. You're not trying to help her, you're trying to be as disgusting and slimy as my parents. I took them down and their entire reign. I'll do the same to you."

Klaus snarled and lunged past Elijah to grab Nova. Her hand shot out and grabbed his before he could make contact. She whipped him around, bending his arm back and forcing him to his knees. "You're playing _my_ game now, do you understand? All of you. Not Damon's, not Stefan's, not yours or your brother's, _mine._ " She kneed him hard in the spine, forcing him to the floor. She took out her phone and dialed quickly. "Contingency plan - D for dumbass. Go." She glared down at Klaus at her feet and hung up.

"What the hell was that?" Stefan questioned with a hint of panic.

Her eyes never left Klaus as he slowly rose to his feet. "I always was better at playing hide and seek."

Down the stairs Lethia and Rebekah strode. Rebekah had a covered platter in her hands. Damon grabbed her, forcing her to look at him. "Nova, what did you do?"

Her lips pulled into a dark grin and the blondes flanked her. She slapped Damon's hands off of her and took off the cover of the platter, revealing two silver daggers. "Like I said, we're playing _my_ game now."

Klaus knew immediately where those daggers belonged. He started to back away slowly and bumped into a person. He turned and found his brother Finn looking down at him with contempt. Lethia tossed him a dagger that he didn't hesitate to stab Klaus with in the ribs. He bent over, groaning in pain, and crashed into Kol. Nova smiled and hugged Rebekah. "I think we're going to get going. You guys seem to have some family issues to work out."

* * *

Damon could hear the piano from outside on the porch. Of course she had a piano. He walked as quietly as he could into the house, hoping she wouldn't notice him.

" _Sparkling grey,  
_ _They're my own veins.  
_ _Any more than a whisper,  
_ _Any sudden movement of my heart.  
_ _And I know, I know I'll have to watch them pass away  
_ _Just get through this day…_ "

He avoided all the creaks of the hardwood floors as best as he could. He smiled softly when she started to sing; he knew all of her music. It surprised him that she had finished writing what she was singing. He had found the lyrics half done when she left in 1994.

" _Give up your way, you could be anything,  
_ _Give up my way, and lose myself, not today  
_ _That's too much guilt to pay…_ "

He found the room with the piano she sat in and leaned against the wall outside, just listening. He'd never gotten to hear her sing the song, only read half her scribbled lyrics.

" _Sickened in the sun  
_ _You dare tell me you love me  
_ _But you held me down and screamed you wanted me to die  
_ _Honey you know, you know I'd never hurt you that way  
_ _You're just so pretty in your pain…_ "

He managed to sneak the quickest glimpse at her. Her back was to the door, the piano facing a large window that showed the moon in the sky.

" _Give up my way, and I could be anything  
_ _I'll make my own way  
_ _Without your senseless hate... hate... hate... hate.  
_ _So run, run, run  
_ _And hate me, if it feels good.  
_ _I can't hear your screams anymore  
_ _You lied to me  
_ _But I'm older now  
_ _And I'm not buying, baby!_ "

While she was invested in the song and piano, Damon slowly crept into the room behind her. He listened quietly, knowing what the song was about.

" _Demanding my response  
_ _Don't bother breaking the door down  
_ _I found my way out  
_ _And you'll never hurt me again…_ "

"You ever figure out a title for that one?"

Nova jumped in her seat on the piano bench. She didn't turn around. "Yeah," she spoke quietly. "'The Last Song I'm Wasting On You'."

Damon started to laugh and shook his head. "You're really fearless, Nova. Always have been. But that fearlessness is bordering on stupidity."

"I know. But it needed to be done. Sometimes risky moves need to be made."

They were silent for a minute and he walked over, sitting beside her on the bench. Neither of them looked at each other. Finally Damon did. "You've been in love with me since 1860." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye; she continued to stare over the piano and out the window. The moonlight was bright enough to illuminate the room; it reflected off her porcelain skin and made the red underglow in her hair shimmer. He could feel his humanity creeping in the longer he stared at her.

"I know," she replied at last in a small voice, still staring out the window.

He didn't push the matter further. Instead, he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head lightly.


	14. Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep

14: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep.

Nova's head popped out of her thick blankets and she stretched, and yawned. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and found a large, black box sitting on her vanity. "Ohh no!" She groaned at the box, pointing a finger at it. "I know exactly what kind of shenanigans you come with and it's not fucking happening!" She threw herself back under the blankets. Her phone started buzzing but it sounded farther away than her nightstand where it should have been. She came back out from the blankets and realized her phone was next to the box on her vanity.

Her jaw dropped. "Oh aren't you just one crafty bastard." She threw the blankets off of herself and stormed over to the vanity in what she called pajamas - one of Damon's shirts and boyshorts. She snatched the phone and found that it had vibrated because it died. Because it wasn't on the charger. Plugged in at her nightstand. She started cursing wildly in Romanian; Damon had done it all on purpose. She could just picture the smug look on his face.

She whipped the note off the top of the box, tearing the envelope to shreds. "Coffin opened," she muttered as she read, "mommy Mikaelson the Original witch," she made a face, "ball tonight at seven…" Her face deadpanned. "No. Not even for you." She flipped off the note but kept reading. "Lethia is going to make sure you get there…" She threw her head back and groaned, cursing in Romanian. "When your phone finally charges enjoy the photos, you sleep like a rock…" She paused and blinked. "Photos?!" Her cheeks turned bright pink. The note was thrown and she scrambled for her phone to get it on the charger. She groaned loudly when it wouldn't even turn on because it was so dead. "You bastard!" She threw the phone on the charger onto her nightstand, allowing it to charge begrudgingly.

She turned back to the box and rolled her eyes, digging into it. She touched the fabric of the gown and shook her head with a soft smile. It reminded her of the dress from 1863. Something in the fabric clanked so she dug more and gasped, pulling out two sai blades. She inspected them delicately, finding them to be her original blades. "This mother fucker," she muttered, running a hand through her messy hair. "Well now I've fucking _got_ to go."

* * *

[Flashback; Mystic Falls, 1863]

Three years and Nova only despised corsets more and more. She couldn't trust any of the maids to tie it for her because they'd choke the air right out of her little lungs. How was such pain a fashion statement? She was so focused on her dress that she hadn't noticed Damon slip into her room. He grabbed hold of the ribbons and laughed, making her jump and blush.

"Damon!" She chastised. "You were supposed to wait to see me in the new dress!"

He snickered as he pulled the ribbons just tight enough without hurting her. "Well, I've only seen the back and I can already say I'm very impressed." When he finished she whirled around and slapped his chest. He only laughed and took hold of her hands, kissing them lightly. "See? The front is even better. I did a good job picking it out if I do say so myself." He grinned.

Her blush darkened. "Y-you chose this dress? It was already hung in my closet...I thought…"

"Nope!" Damon grinned, spinning her around to get a good look at her. "Tonight is one of my father's council suppers so I wanted you to outshine anyone that might be there. I'm quite certain I did the job!"

* * *

[Present]

"Well aren't we just a little asshole," Nova commented. She had showered and stood in a black silk robe and towel in her hair. She pulled out the dress in full to find it a corset back with long black ribbons. She rolled her eyes and shook out her hair, patting the dampness with the towel while she turned on her phone. The first thing to come up was a text from Damon - ' _A little payback for the decades worth of of surprise pictures. Xoxo_ ' Then she saw her background had been changed to Damon; she started to laugh and went into her gallery.

She didn't know how many pictures there were but for about ten minutes she laid on her bed going through them all, laughing like a lovestruck teenage girl. She had found the photo of himself he took for her background amongst several others, some cute ones of him cuddling her while she slept, and one of just her out cold but it was debatably the best one she had seen. She was laying on her side with her fanned around her like a dark wing, her lashes touched her cheekbones that had the slightest tint of pink to them, the blankets were curled nicely around her hips, and the moonlight illuminated her pale skin perfectly. She smiled softly and went back to her texts, finding that Damon had sent himself that specific picture.

"Look at you, giggling like a lovestruck girl. I never thought I'd see the day!"

Nova pouted and looked away as Lethia walked in and sat beside her. "You don't know how I am when I'm alone," she grumbled.

The blonde jumped to snatch the phone. They tussled for a moment before she managed to grab it. She found the pictures and held the phone to her chest dramatically with her bottom lip jutting out and sparkles in her eyes. "You two are fucking adorable. Do you have any idea how long I've shipped you two?"

"I don't-I don't like ships," she muttered with confusion.

Lethia laughed and tossed her her phone back. "Sometimes I think you're hopeless." She waved her raven haired friend over to the vanity and started to brush her long hair. "You're going to stand out like a diamond in that dress. It's gorgeous. A hint from Damon I assume?" She winked. "Looks like the one you told me about from 1863."

She nodded, trying to resist the smile creeping up her countenance. "Yeah, it is. But that one had an emerald corset and bodice and black skirt. I gave him a run for his money in 1864 though. He had planned to take Katherine to the Founder's Party but she ditched him last minute for Stefan. I had been just getting over a nasty flu but the second I heard what happened I found Anna. She helped me with a dress and I made it just in time. I wish I'd had a camera then because I would love to have the look on his face when he saw me forever."

"That priceless?" The blonde mused with a smile while she played around with her friend's hair.

Nova started to laugh. "I almost feared he was going to have a stroke right there. Katherine was seething."

Lethia smiled at her in the mirror. "You realize your life mostly revolves around Damon, right?"

She shrugged. "He's all the goodness I've ever really known. Every time I turn around he's there."

"How can you spend a literal eternity by the side of the same one man? I mean, even in all my years of knowing you, you've never even so much as flirted with another guy!"

Nova stared at her reflection blankly. "I'd never really thought about it, honestly. Never wanted anything more. I could look to my side and Damon would be smiling down at me. That's all I ever really needed was him."

Lethia put her hands on her friend's shoulders with a smile. "Your humanity is showing, _õde._ "

* * *

"I don't think I can do this," Nova complained, genuinely nauseous.

Lethia pushed her on up the steps of the manor. "You are Nova fucking Vasile. Are you seriously going to turn tail and run now? Go curl up and be a big baby?"

She forced them to skid to a stop in the entrance hall before anyone could see them. "You want to know something, Thea? My humanity is showing. And it fucking disgusts me. I don't feel guilt for the horrendous things I have done and I should."

"So why keep your humanity off? I can feel you fighting it, Nov. What are you so afraid of?"

"Klaus using it against me, against you, and against Damon. Big secret is out - Nova Vasile madly in love with Damon Salvatore since fucking 1860. But if I keep my humanity off then I do stupid, reckless things and everyone focuses on that instead of the fact that the big, bad warrior princess does have a beating heart in her chest."

"Oh, Nova," Lethia sighed with a sympathetic smile. She put her hands on the ravenette's upper arms comfortingly. "Your love for Damon is what got you through all these years and battles. If you don't allow Klaus to use it against you it's your strongest weapon. Haven't you noticed that anytime you actually push him around it's because of Damon? Because Klaus said something about him, or threatened him, or whatever. The second Damon is brought into it is when you turn into Supergirl. So get your ass in there and woo your damn man!"

With one final shove Lethia pushed Nova though the doors. She looked like a deer in headlights as all eyes fell on her. It didn't take long for ice blue eyes to find her and stop her breath in her chest. Damon's glass of champagne nearly slipped from his hand when he laid eyes on her. She looked even more stunning then in 1863, which he wasn't even sure was possible. The black, lace sleeves hung off her arms tightly, that and the sweetheart neckline revealing her chest and shoulders. Her lapis lazuli daylight necklace sat at the top curve of her breasts, her hair fell in ocean like waves down her back. The black lace covered over the corset bodice, spanning down into a flowy green skirt.

Even Stefan's eyes widened and brows raised and Kol choked a little on his champagne. He looked over at his brother and saw light pouring back into his eyes as he stared at Nova. His lips parted; Damon must have truly loved her if just looking at her in that dress could bring back his humanity and so very obviously. He recognized the why Damon picked the dress he did for her; nobody that saw her at the party in 1863 would forget seeing Nova in that dress. Some called her SuperNova because of how merciless she was; Stefan wondered if more did it because of her beauty.

Lethia slipped a hand comfortingly on Nova's lower back with a grin. Elena came up on the other side looking just as nervous. "You look amazing, Nova," she spoke softly. "You got the attention of the whole place." She offered a small smile and nodded towards Damon who was still staring. "Just look at the way he's looking at you."

Nova hadn't looked anywhere but Damon's face. It was obvious in the dress how nervous even her breathing was, revealing the fast paced way her breasts moved behind the firmness of the corset with each breath. "Yeah, uh, between us three, I haven't looked anywhere else so I don't acknowledge the rest of the crowd staring at me. One of my least favorite things about ever being royal."

"Welcome," Elijah's voice took the attention of everyone but Damon and Nova, "thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

Lethia started to give Nova a little shove but she resisted. "Y-you know, it's been so long since I've had to waltz; I must have two left feet by now!"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Now is not the time to be shy, Nova!" She nodded to Elena for help. The brunette looked up and found Stefan also giving his brother a shove towards Nova. She smiled and helped Lethia push the ravenette forward until she and Damon collided.

"I didn't think Nova had a side like this of her," Elena commented quietly.

Lethia smiled and watched the couple take each other's arms without uttering a word. "It's all the memories they share and how disgustingly in love with each other they are. She fell for him the moment she laid eyes on him off the boat. He always cared almost as deeply for her but it was set in stone in 1863."

"What happened in 1863? Especially with Katherine the following year?"

"Katherine may have interfered but Damon never stopped loving Nova. He picked out a dress similar to that one for a fancy dinner his father was hosting. He hadn't really known what love would feel like until it hit him like concrete when he saw her in the dress. That was the night they really stopped caring about everyone else's opinions."

"You look absolutely stunning," Damon told her quietly as they walked into the ballroom. "If it wasn't obvious."

She blushed and looked away. "Y-you've always cleaned up quite nicely." She cursed under her breath as her accent and stutter slipped in with her nervousness.

He smiled and spun her around, pulling her close to his chest. She looked up at him and saw the light dancing in his bright eyes. She couldn't look away from the light as they danced. His humanity had returned and teased her to do the same. She knew exactly why. She knew she should as well. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it; she couldn't risk that kind of hurt. She could feel her own humanity clawing at her, memories of the past swimming in her mind as she danced with Damon.

She was starting to lose her grip when she was spun and no longer felt the electric touch of her best friend. She twirled until she landed with a new partner. Opening her eyes she found the smirk of Kol Mikaelson who's hand kept trying to slip below her waist. "I get the honor of dancing with the great Nova Vasile instead of my brother," he commented as he spun her and pulled her close. "It must be my lucky day. Such a shame it couldn't have been you to pull the wretched dagger from my heart."

She started to laugh. "Oh darling I already gave you the honor when I sat on your coffin because it's the closest thing to me on top of you you'll ever have." She winked at him.

Kol joined her laugh, earning another slap when his hand 'slipped' too low. "Ah and the beauty has a sharp tongue. I adore it."

Nova caught sight of Klaus in the close distance. He smirked and blew her a kiss. Her face scrunched up and she made a face as though she was throwing up. The young Mikaelson started to laugh some more. "Niklaus is a bit of a mess, isn't he? Poor bloke actually tried to force some poor girl to marry him. He must be lonely."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet you, I'm that poor girl." His eyes widened and she looked over his shoulder, realizing the Salvatores and Elena were gone. She stopped suddenly, backing down and looked around frantically for at least Damon. A sick feeling crept into her gut. "Forgive me, I need to find Damon. Something isn't right." She picked up the hem of her gown and took off running through the manor.

Kol stared after her and chuckled a little. "It really is all about Damon Salvatore with you, isn't it?"

"What's going on?" Lethia questioned when she caught her panicked friend.

"Damon, Stefan, and Elena are gone," Nova replied quickly. "I can't find them! I was dancing with Damon and got passed to Kol and then they were gone!"

"Relax, we'll find them. I've got you." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her eyes opened they glowed a bright gold. She sniffed the air and they took off running upstairs.

Lethia pulled her to the library where they found Damon unconscious on the floor. Someone had broken his spine; they were trying to buy time. The blonde confirmed that Stefan and Elena had been there as well. Nova started letting off wild curses in her native tongue, dropping to her knees at Damon's side. Her gown flowed and poofed out around her. She touched his face delicately; she knew he would be fine but couldn't help but feel the stinging betrayal from Stefan once again.

"What do we do, _õde_?" Lethia asked softly.

Nova only stared down at Damon's unconscious face with a blank expression of her own. "I don't know," she admitted, shoulders shaking. "I don't know what to do anymore…"

"Oh fuck," Stefan let slip when he returned to the library and found the girls.

Lethia's eyes widened as she looked between Stefan and Nova. The ravenette had dipped her head so her hair covered her face. "Oh fuck," she mused Stefan's fear. "Oh, fuck…" Her hands slipped from Damon's face and balled into fists in her lap. She snapped in an instant, whipping around and choking the younger brother violently. She screamed things at him in Romanian that not even Lethia was sure what it meant.

"Elena needed to talk to Esther!" Stefan choked out, trying his best to fight her off. He had no idea where her monstrous strength came from. "She might be able to kill Klaus!"

"I wouldn't give a damn if it was to kill Katherine Pierce and mount her head over the fireplace!" Nova shouted in English. "You don't fucking hurt Damon!"

The moment his name left her lips his eyes snapped open. He reacted quickly, realizing Nova was choking the life out of his brother, and pulled her off of him. She thrashed against him but the dress weighed her down just enough so he could restrain her. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Esther's voice resonated from the stairs. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass."

Nova started to simmer down in Damon's arms so he allowed one hand free to pet her hair lightly. Elena came sprinting into the room in search of Stefan and froze immediately when she saw Nova. Lethia made furious gestures that she back it up and get running out of the room but it was too late. Nova had flashed back to 1864, Katherine's face mocking her. She broke free from Damon's grasp, sai blades appearing from somewhere she had hidden in the dress, and she snatched up Elena instantly with the blades to her throat. The brunette cried and shook beneath the tips. By that time Damon, Stefan, and Lethia were losing their minds. None of them knew where the hell the blades came from.

"What the fuck do you mean?" She spat, refusing to allow Elena to move even an inch. "These are _my_ blades. The other sole possession I left in Romania when I ran. These things were practically fucking glued to my hands so I could be my parents' little warrior princess and kill names on a list. These things have almost as much blood stained on them from my time in Romania as my hands do after I turned."

"Where the fuck did you get them?" Damon shouted.

"From you!" She stepped down, allowing Elena to slide onto the floor, crying with fear. "They were with my dress; I assumed since you found my crown you found these too!"

"I still hadn't even figured out that those were the other thing missing," he admitted, "let alone you being a murder princess. I didn't put those with the dress, Nova."

Nova's eye twitched with rage. Her breathing was slow and steady, jaw clenched tightly. She slipped the blades into two hidden pockets of the dress and clicked her tongue against her teeth. She had been had by a Mikaelson again. "So help me gods I will tear out the hearts of every single Mikaelson," she snarled, fangs extended but her face unchanging. She stormed out of the library quickly, evading anyone trying to stop her. She found Kol first, breaking Matt Donovan's hand. The moment she laid eyes on him she knew the daggers had his stink all over it.

She stomped over to him, slapping his hand away from Matt's. Damon, Lethia, Stefan, and Elena had caught up and were begging her to stop. Kol smirked. "I wonder what's got your panties in a knot, hm?" He mocked her. "Perhaps because a Mikaelson had your precious slaughter blades for decades?"

The arrogant smirk vanished from his face when her eyes flashed a glowing emerald before darkening frightfully with her rage. He backed up slowly and she stalked him forward as the emerald slowly vanished from her irises, darkening to a wrathful pitch black. She reeled her fist back and clocked him hard in the nose, making him bleed. He cursed at her and lashed back until they were struggling on the balcony. Damon and Stefan ran forward to break it up but the two tumbled over the rail. They ran over and watched them hit the ground. Kol staggered to stand first but Nova lifted the hem of her skirt high and grabbed him tight around the neck with her long legs. He struggled beneath her until she whipped her legs the right way and snapped his neck.

By time Nova got to her feet everyone had come to the scene. "Nova!" Stefan cried. "Have you lost your mind?!"

She looked at them all with a cold and empty look in her eyes. The emerald barely shined over the darkness. "Maybe a little," she chuckled dryly without a smile or smirk. "Far be it from me to cause a problem." She started to back away as Damon broke through the crowd. By time he reached her she was gone.

He ran his hands through his hair and balled his fists. Stefan turned towards him and he reacted, punching him in the nose like Nova had to Kol. He shook his head and vanished into the night as well in the search of Nova.

* * *

Damon checked the boarding house first to no avail, and the Grill second with the same outcome. He high-tailed it towards the woods, practically skipping the stairs onto the porch of Nova's home. The door was still open and he paused with his hand on the doorknob; he recognized the area of the woods. It was close to the ruins of the old Salvatore property. He walked in quietly, finding her shoes discarded at the bottom of the stairs. He made his way up the stairs and found the sai blades stabbed into the wall. Down the hall he found her bedroom door cracked open; he could hear her soft sobs.

She was still wearing the dress, flopped on her bed hopelessly crying her eyes out. Before she could notice him in the doorway, he surprised her and started to sing quietly. " _I've begun to realize, that I'm better when I am with you; you delivered me from the pain in my life. Easy now to recognize, all the misery I have been through; it was beating me to submission, till the day you arrived._ "

Her head shot up immediately, revealing her makeup running down her face with her tears. She stared up at him and realized he looked just as disheveled as she must have; his pants were wrinkled all over, blazer discarded, tie half untied and dangling loosely, and shirt wrinkled and partially unbuttoned. "Damon," she squeaked. He held up a hand to silence her and kept singing.

" _Suddenly, I felt alive  
_ _Strength I had lost was revived  
_ _And building inside  
_ _And we both know why…"_

He walked up behind her and flicked her when she tried to turn around. He started to untie the ribbon of her corset.

" _Been betrayed too many times  
_ _Didn't think I would ever recover  
_ _Let it haunt me for the rest of my life  
_ _Then you opened up my eyes  
_ _And you helped me rediscover  
_ _Were the one who resurrected  
_ _A man who had died  
_ _Your power, it gave me new life  
_ _Made me reborn and refined  
_ _Rebuilt from inside  
_ _And we both know why…_

 __ _Cause you're mine  
_ _I knew I could be whole if you were  
_ _Mine…  
_ _I'll vanquish any foe because you're mine._ "

With one hand holding up the front of her corset she turned and looked up at him through her teary eyes. He smiled and wiped what he could off her cheeks. "Why?" Her voice broke. "Why are you always there? Even when there's Katherine or Elena?"

He pet her face, still smiling softly. He could see the emerald shine returning to her eyes through the confliction and pain. "Because what we've had was always real."

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _õde_ \- Estonian - sister

 **Featured song:**

You're Mine - Disturbed


	15. And It's All In the Name of Love

15: And It's All In the Name of Love.

Stefan had been trying to call Damon all morning. He even tried Nova's phone a few times with the same dead end. Elena joined him at the boarding house saying she also had the same results. Lethia bounded the stairs with an odd look on her face. "They weren't here last night," she told them. "And I can't channel her but I keep getting these weird shivers like she doesn't know what to do with herself." Her point was further proven when she shuddered. "See!"

"What does that mean?" Elena asked. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, it's weird as hell. She's not in in distress because she's struggling with herself. It's like something is poking a stick at her humanity and she keeps trying to swat it away like a fly." Another shudder and she groaned.

The front door opened and the three stopped dead in their tracks. Damon and Nova walked in (with a small drag from Damon) _holding hands._ They could see the begrudging look on her face as she tried to resist a smile. They each started to open their mouths and Damon briskly waved them off, telling them to shut up as he tugged her towards the couch. "We're fine," he finally spoke, pulling the ravenette onto his lap. "Just needed some space for the night. Some us time." He smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"What did Esther want?" Nova muttered without looking at anyone. She just kept playing with Damon's had, twirling his ring around his finger.

After a moment Elena finally replied. "Esther is planning on killing her entire family. She's linked them all together with a spell. Whatever happens to one, happens to all of them."

"Well, that's great!" Damon exclaimed. "Klaus will finally be dead. We win. Why do you look like someone just shot a panda bear?"

"Uh, because to kill Klaus she has to kill all of them, including Elijah. And he doesn't deserve this!"

Nova scoffed. "Speak for yourself, I was genuinely going to drop him in the Atlantic first."

"Shouldn't you at least care about Rebekah? She's your friend, isn't she?"

"Yes she is but just the same as how Lethia is linked to me, she is linked to her siblings. Unfortunately one of them is Klaus and he really needs to go."

Stefan sighed. "She's right, you know." Elena gaped at him. "Klaus has to die. They all do."

"See?" Damon smirked. "Democracy in action."

* * *

"Join me for a little victory drink?"

Nova looked up at Damon and wanted to return the smile but just couldn't. She took the glass of bourbon he handed her though. "Should probably wait until the bastard is dead."

He kissed her forehead. "We'll be fine. We just need to make sure Elena doesn't screw up Esther's plan."

"Damon all you're going to see out there is Klaus slaughtering your brother because the gates of Hell will open before he lays a finger on you so long as I walk this Earth."

He laughed a little and set their cups down, pulling her close and petting her hair. She'd always made protective quips like that; it was one of his favorite things. "We don't even have to go near Klaus. Kill one sibling and we kill them all. You couldn't drop Elijah in the Atlantic so about a consolation prize?"

Stefan came running in in a panic. "They've got her," he panted. "Elena. She's trapped in the tunnels with Rebekah. If we don't stop the spell she'll kill Elena."

Nova groaned and curled up into Damon's chest. "She sucks at life. Get over it."

"Esther is channeling the Bennett bloodline," Stefan continued regardless. "We have to sever the line to stop her and we only have until a little after nine to do it."

Nova stood and looked at him. "Are you seriously about to give up the likely only chance we'll have at killing Klaus Mikaelson just to save the human life of Elena Gilbert?"

"Without a doubt on any given day," he replied without a thought. "No different than you and Damon."

The elder brother came up behind her and put a hand gently on her shoulder. She looked back up at him and saw the pleading look in his eyes. Stefan needed Elena and Damon just wanted his brother to be happy. She heaved a heavy sigh, the life seeming to drain from her eyes. "We'll try the dagger on one of them. It's all we've got in an attempt to spare the witches' lives."

"We don't know how it'll affect Klaus," Stefan commented. "And it's lethal to a vampire trying to use it."

"I've got that," came Lethia, twirling one of the daggers in her hand. "If you guys can figure a way to get their guard lowered, Ric says Klaus and Kol are at the Grill right now."

"Do we want to do this?" Damon asked, looking around at them.

Nova nodded solemnly.

* * *

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath at the doors to the Grill. She made a quick little persona for herself and grinned, tongue flicking against her fangs. In the back of her head she was screaming and writhing with disgust knowing what she was about to do. As her heels clicked onto the floor Caroline dashed off with Klaus following her. She spotted Kol still at the pool table and pushed down the vomit.

Nova smiled sweetly as she tapped him on the shoulder. He leaned against the pool table with a victorious smirk. "Hello, lovely. You seem better than our last encounter."

She laughed a little. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. My behavior was out of line at your family's event. My therapist says I have a bad tendency to react quickly with violence."

"Don't worry about it, darling," he told her kindly, brushing some of her hair out of her face. She forced a cute giggle while choking down the bile. "Our family's never had a gathering that I don't make a disaster of."

She stepped up closer to him, leaving barely a couple of inches between them. "Between you and me, I think you looked the most dashing of all your brothers. I regret not finishing my dance with you."

He looked down at her lustfully. "Might I ask where all of this is suddenly coming from? Don't get me wrong, I'm quite flattered, but this is coming from the girl that told me she sat on the top of the box my brother imprisoned me in because it was the closest I would get and dashed off to find Damon Salvatore."

She forced some kind of half assed tears to her eyes. _Dead kittens,_ she told herself. _Lethia never gets a boyfriend or laid ever again and you have to listen to it for the rest of eternity._ Her emerald eyes glistened with tears. "Guess who decided to blow back into town."

Kol frowned and pulled her into a hug. "Oh darling, you've got rip Katerina's heart from her chest one of these days. Do the world a favor."

She sniffled and looked up at him. "Would you mind terribly being my new drinking buddy? I need to drown myself in liquor and bad decisions."

His lips twitched back into a smirk. "Anything for m'lady." He kissed her cheek and headed to the bar.

Nova exhaled a long breath and used the pool table for support. She craved a hot shower. Lethia crept up in the shadows and gave her a double thumbs up, showing her the dagger in her sleeve. The ravenette rubbed her face with her middle finger sticking up towards the blonde. Kol returned and she quickly downed the shot of liquid courage, forcing her heart rate as steady as possible.

"You know," he drawled, siding up to her and putting his arm behind her on the table, "I personally would at least like to apologize on Niklaus' behavior towards you. He never really did know how to treat a lady."

She laughed a little nervously, shifting her weight. "No, no he clearly does not." She choked down the sarcasm wanting to come out and turned her head to look up him, batting her lashes playfully. "Is that a hint of arrogance insinuating that you do know how to treat a lady?"

 _Lethia you're dragging this out for kicks,_ she growled in her mind.

His hand slipped onto her lower waist and she instinctively slapped it away, biting her lip. "Don't take it personal," came Lethia behind them. "It takes her a long time to warm up to someone's touch." Before Kol could turn around she had the dagger in his back.

"You dragged that out for fun," Nova hissed as they slipped out back with the young Original's dessicated body.

"I most certainly did not," the blonde huffed. "If I didn't have to be the one to dagger him I would have been bait all day. At least he's sadistically charming." Nova made a face. "What? You don't know the kind of shit I'm into."

"And I think I'd like to keep it that way." They made it outside to Stefan and Damon whom they passed Kol off to. "I don't know, guys, I've got a bad feeling. Something doesn't feel right about this."

In a flash they were all thrown into opposite ends of the back alley and the dagger yanked from Kol. Klaus stood before them fuming. "I should have killed you months ago," he snarled at Damon.

Nova's eye twitched and she flipped up onto her feet, poised to attack. "I would love to see you try." They all looked at her when her words came out with poison and a Romanian accent.

"Do you really think you can go toe to toe with me again, luv?"

She cracked her knuckles, never looking away from him. Her emerald eyes blazed with an uncontrollable fire. Elijah joined them suddenly, intervening between the ravenette and hybrid. "Enough. We still need them, Niklaus."

"What did mother do? What did she do, Elijah?" Klaus demanded.

He looked at Stefan threateningly. "You tell me where the witches are or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now."

"You said we had until after nine!" the younger brother argued.

"I'm sure Rebekah will be more than happy to start her work early."

Damon looked to Nova with big eyes. They only had one other plan and Nova was the fastest and strongest. She cursed, knowing what needed to be done. "Nova, go!" Damon shouted at her.

The Originals looked right at her and she moved quickly, running up the sides of the alley to the roof of the Grill. Klaus snarled and went to chase her but Lethia went running, shifting into her wolf form, and tackling him and Elijah to the stairs. Stefan and Damon took off in the opposite direction and the wolf was quick to follow.

* * *

Nova's heels clicked loudly against the rock and dirt, echoing through the tunnels. She hated that she was wearing the heels still but didn't have the time to change. She finally found Rebekah and Elena who was behind the anti-vampire barrier. "Nova!" The blonde exclaimed with joy, pouring gasoline in the cavern Elena was in. "Wonderful, now the party can really get started."

"Sorry Rebekah, I've had a bit of a change of heart."

Elena gasped when the snap of the blonde's neck echoed through the dark. Rebekah dropped to the ground and she was face to face with Nova. Only the barrier separated them. She met the girl's eyes and was surprised to find a strange, new light within the bright emerald. "Nova," she breathed.

"Good choice running into there, it'll buy you some time," the ravenette told her. "Rebekah won't stay down for long. I've got one more thing to do before you can go home."

"Wait!" She called before the ravenette took off. "What changed your mind? Why are you here to save me?"

Nova smiled softly over her shoulder at the girl. "Nothing ever really changed. Damon just finds new ways to get into my head and set me straight. I'm doing this for him, no one else."

* * *

"That's lovely," Kol scoffed. "We're stuck out here, while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are, Finn."

"Be quiet, Kol. Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine." Esther scolded him.

Stefan and Damon ran up while the Mikaelsons argued to try and plead their case with Bonnie. They told her Elena was trapped with Rebekah ready to kill her if the spell wasn't stopped. Bonnie had to tell them there was nothing she could do; Esther was channeling the Bennett witches through her and her mom. The only way to stop the spell would be to cut the link at either Bonnie or Abby.

Abby let out a shout suddenly and all attention turned; Nova had the woman captive, ready to kill. Bonnie started to cry out for her mom; Esther yelled at her not to do anything foolish. "I'm so sorry," she told Abby. "Everything has a loophole and between you and your daughter...I'm sorry." She looked up to the sky pleadingly. " _Tatăl Ceresc, Iisus, Duhul Sfânt…_ " She ignored everyone's shouts and bit into her wrist, forcing it in the woman's mouth.

Stefan held Bonnie back. They screamed at Nova not to continue. Damon stared at her with a broken expression. She wasn't supposed to do it, she was only supposed to cause a scene so he could. It would be easy for everyone to hate Damon for turning Abby Bennett. He watched Nova snap the woman's neck with her eyes still closed. Abby dropped to the ground and the spell circle started to break.

"No! Sisters! Do not abandon me!" Esther cried.

The flames grew out of control, forcing everyone back a few feet. There was a bright, fiery explosion and when it died down Finn, Esther, and Nova were gone. Damon sighed.

* * *

"Is she safe?" Stefan asked quietly.

Damon nodded and sipped his bourbon. "Elijah kept his word. Rebekah let her go."

"Why did Nova do it, turn Abby? It was supposed to be one of us."

"It was supposed to be _me_. Like either of us would let everyone hate Saint Stefan for turning Abby to save Elena." He rolled his eyes.

"You I could understand to an extent. Why Nova?"

"Because she's Nova," Damon mused, staring at the fireplace. "She was raised to be a queen and she was the kind who wanted her people to prosper. She's always felt like an outsider out here. She took the hate and fire to protect us because we've made bonds to people here."

"She always did have a big heart buried in her," the younger brother muttered. "I just don't understand, she's been so all over the place. Does it bother you that she did it? We could all see she didn't want to but it was like her duty to do it."

"That's exactly how she sees it. Nova will never have the title of queen until she gets married. Until then she's still the warrior princess doing as she's requested to who she's loyal to."

Stefan blinked with surprise. "When did you find that out?"

"Earlier. It'd been bothering me as to why Klaus was so hell bent on forcing her to marry him and why she was so afraid. To marry the last Vasile daughter makes her a queen and her betrothed king with limitless resources. She'd basically be forced into slavetude even though she's queen unless she can prove stronger than her husband." He sipped his bourbon pensively. "She's terrified."

"Don't take this wrong way but I never exactly pictured Nova Vasile afraid of anything."

He chuckled lightly. "She wasn't at first, you saw that. But Klaus broke through and messed with her head. For someone to do that proved their strength. She knew she'd never be able to usurp him if she was beneath him. Then to top it all off we've got to keep Elena safe from being his personal blood bag which, thanks to us, Nova has taken on as some royal duty. I'd never seen her cry the way she did last night."

"So that's why she wants to kill him so badly," Stefan realized. "It's the only way she can prove herself and free herself and keep Elena safe."

"Bingo. Her and I always were better at being the bad guys. It's why she's fighting to keep her humanity off so badly."

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Tatăl Ceresc, Iisus, Duhul Sfânt_ \- Father, Son, Holy Spirit


	16. One More Weight and You Won't Survive

16: One More Weight and You Won't Survive.

"Dear diary," Damon mocked his brother writing in his journal, "a chipmunk asked me my name today. I told him it was Joe. That lie will haunt me forever."

"What do you want?" Stefan groaned in return.

"Ric was arrested on the suspicion of staking the medical examiner. If memory serves the same thing was happening when we came back in 1912."

"Your point being? I try to not think about 1912."

"Well get thinking, little brother."

* * *

[Flashback; Mystic Falls, 1912]

"Have you been eating the relatives again?"

Stefan turned from his conversation with Marianna Lockwood and Samantha Gilbert to find his brother. A smile broke on his face. "It's been almost fifty years. I'm surprised you came."

"And miss the funeral of, what do you call him? Uncle Zachariah?"

"I see you're still mad at me."

"Why would I be mad at you, Stefan?" He drawled, dripping with sarcasm. "You made me become a vampire and then attacked my best friend, drowning her in a fucking river."

"Any chance you took it all out on our nephew Zachariah?"

Damon glared coldly at his brother. "If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who killed our family, remember? May father rest in peace." He rolled his eyes.

"It's not like that anymore, Damon. Let's grab a drink, catch up."

"Well congratulations, Stefan. But if you'll excuse me, I'd like to live out my eternal existence as far away from you as possible." He brushed past Stefan coldly, heading down the river.

"Damon!" Stefan froze when he heard the sweet voice calling his brother's name. He turned slowly, eyes widening as he laid eyes on her. She was paler than ever, hair down in thick waves and emerald eyes glistening. He swore he was seeing a ghost the way she wore a small black veil and dress that looked like the very one she had come to Mystic Falls in. Her eyes found him and he watched the air catch in her throat. "Stefan," she spoke stiffly, taking hold of Damon's arm.

"You…" He breathed, starting to shake. "You're...I-I…" he looked between her and Damon, something just not settling in his mind.

"Yeah, you killed her, remember?" Damon quipped harshly. "You forced me into this life and dragged Nova into it just the same."

"You turned her?" Stefan's voice cracked. He shook his head furiously. "No, no."

The two started a screaming match with one another, causing Damon to let go of her arm. She spun her necklace anxiously, taking a fearful step backwards from the boys. The sound of rushing water caught her attention and she noticed the river in close proximity. She turned back when she heard bones snapping; Stefan had broken his brother's nose. He looked up at her with malevolence; the sound of the water made her legs shake. Yet even behind the blind rage she could see pain.

She could hear Damon yelling before water flooded through her, freezing her to the core. She choked for air, Stefan's eyes still haunting her as she fell deeper into the water and down the river. She was dragged down, desperately trying to claw her way to air, until she hit her head on a sharp rock. The water started to tint red. Damon dove in at the first sign of red leaving his brother twice as beaten on the embankment. He stared in horror as his wounds slowly started to heal. When his brother finally resurfaced with Nova clung to his side he wasn't sure if he should be relieved or afraid.

She wasn't breathing again. A few drops of blood still fell from the gash in her head. Stefan couldn't see it healing beneath her thick hair. Damon carried her out of the water, thankful that everyone had already left. He laid her on the grass and brushed her wet hair off of her ghostly white face. Stefan opened his mouth to speak but Damon held his hand up to silence him.

Stefan had to do a double take when the color started to return to her face (even though there wasn't much difference). Her fingers twitched and she shot up gasping for air and coughing water. He let out a small scream and jumped backwards. She just stared at the river while Damon brushed out her wet hair with his fingers. "I thought you had more common sense than that, brother," he chastised, not looking away from the ravenette. "The first time you drowned Nova in 1866 was after you'd already torn into her like a midnight snack. She had my blood in her system or she would have died at your hand."

Nova could feel her body temperature dropping but she didn't care. She didn't shiver; she was numb to it. She'd tried so hard to maintain self-control since she turned, no matter how difficult it was at times. She didn't want to fall past a certain point that she knew was waiting for her. She started to realize what foolish ideals they were; she wasn't human anymore. She could blend in but she could never co-exist. Humans had become her sustenance.

Somewhere in the trees she heard a crow cawing loudly.

* * *

[Present]

"Maybe it was a vampire." Stefan offered. He and Damon looked through old journals at the bar of the Mystic Grill.

"Don't think for a second you didn't cross my mind too, brother. But these murders weren't your style, were they? Plus there were no other vampires circulating then."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "There was one other vampire - Sage."

Damon chuckled and sipped his bourbon. "Yeah, no. Nova put Sage in her place real fast."

The younger brother looked at him questioningly. "What are you talking about? Sage fought _grown men._ All ten rounds."

"And Nova knocked her down in under one. Didn't you ever wonder why I took such a quick liking to the girl?"

* * *

[Flashback; 1912]

"Who's next? One hundred dollars to any man who can beat me." Sage announced with a smirk. She spotted Damon walk in and jumped down from the ring to him. "What's your name?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not interested."

"Well, Mr. Not-Interested, you seem to me like a gambling man."

"Afraid you have me all wrong. I'm a man who is spoken for. My lady gives me enough trouble, I don't need to gamble." He smirked.

She pulled a crisp one hundred dollar bill from the inside of her corset top and set it on the table beside him. "I bet I can make you interested since your lady isn't interested enough to be here."

A pale hand with long, black nails slammed down on the table with its own hundred dollar bill beneath. Sage followed the hand up until he locked eyes with a very angry set of emerald ones. Her long, raven hair flowed in perfect waves down her back; she wore a tight but complimenting black and maroon gown that hugged and shoved her breasts well. "Bet you you can't interest me, _dragă._ One round," she nodded down to the two hundred dollars.

Sage laughed a little and looked over to Damon who was leaning back with a smirk. "This is her, isn't she?"

"Oh you had best bet I am," Nova quipped with a dangerous smirk.

The redhead nodded and took a step back, reaching behind her at the ribbon of her corset and allowing the entire dress to drop to the floor. Some in the crowd wolf whistled. She was left in spandex shorts that covered half her thighs and a tightly wrapped sports bra. She grabbed some wrappings and started to wrap her knuckles.

Nova took a step forward and took off the red ribbon going around the waist of her dress, pulling her hair into a high, messy ponytail. Damon started to laugh. "Relax, Nova, we aren't staying."

"Get bent, Damon."

His jaw dropped and his head whipped over to look at her. She craned her arm back just as Sage had and ripped out the ribbon holding together her corset. The fabrics fell to the floor, leaving the ravenette in a tight shorts that just barely covered her behind, a black bandeau wrapped tightly around her breasts to keep them in place, and combat boots. Even some of the women whistled amongst the men. Nova hopped out of the skirt of her dress on the floor, kissed Damon's cheek, and leaped into the ring.

Sage offered her some of the wrappings. "Protect your knuckles?"

Nova cracked her knuckles and laughed.

* * *

[Present]

Damon checked his phone for what was probably the hundredth time in half an hour. "Still nothing from Nova?" Stefan asked with concern.

He shook his head. "It's not usually good when she's quiet like this. She's typically up to something or in some kind of trouble."

"She's been stressed lately, you've said it yourself. She could just be taking time to sort herself out."

"Do you want to know what that 'sorting herself out' is, Stefan? Mass murder worse than the Ripper of Monterrey."

"What?" He looked to his brother with disbelief.

"That's _with_ her humanity. I can't say what state her mind is in right now and honestly it's surprising that Sheriff Forbes hasn't burst in here with a body count." His mind started to wander, thinking of all the horrid things Nova could have gotten herself tangled into. "She's smart even when she loses grip on reality; she probably went out of town."

Stefan took a breath and stood. "You know what? I don't want to think about it right now. It's quiet enough where she might be alright. I'm going to step outside for some air. Sounds like you should too." He pat his brother on the back and walked out of the Grill.

Damon didn't move, still lost in thought. His hand wafted over the pack of Camel Crush cigarettes in his pocket he had taken from Nova's room. Before he could even contemplate joining his brother outside he heard Stefan yell for him. In a split second he was out back by his brother's side witnessing the scene. The way the setting sun hit the feeding vampire's long hair and gave way to the red tint showed them both instantly it was Nova. She was at the head of the alley with a woman's throat beneath her fangs, blood pooling on the ground. She let the woman's lifeless body fall, staring with blood dripping down her mouth and chin at the brothers. They both looked absolutely mortified.

Nova was stained head to toe in both dried and fresh blood. Her fangs remained outstretched, emerald eyes filled with darkness and a deep craving for blood. She licked her lips without making a single hint of expression. "Take your blessings as a Ripper, Stefan," she told him. Her voice was dark and thick with her accent. "The Ripper of Monterrey lacks in comparison to the _înger moarte_."

"The what?" He whispered to Damon, not looking away from the blood soaked girl.

"Romanian angel of death," he breathed back, also refusing to look away from her. "She was thought to be as much of a rumor as the Original family…"

"How can you be this angel of death or whatever if everyone calls you the SuperNova?"

"Because I was her before I was SuperNova," she answered bleakly. "SuperNova is the girl everyone sees, fears, follows. The _înger moarte_ is the monster inside of that monster."

Damon took a couple of steps closer to her. She didn't move at all. "Nova, where have you been all day? You were starting to worry me."

Her head lolled to one side as she looked up at him. They could see the blood caked in her hair. "Sixty-seven," she replied in a broken voice. She tapped the dead woman with her boot. "Sixty-seven people dead at my hands in the last six hours. I can't stop; I _won't_ stop." The smallest fragment of pain started to shine in her eyes. "I probably could have a chance if my parents didn't go poking around in my brain, maybe I would have only been a Ripper too. Maybe we could have been closer and maybe I also could have been pulled from the edge."

* * *

[Flashback; 1912]

The crowd was going wild. Money was flying with bets on the fiery little ravenette with a great body. She slammed her bare knuckles into Sage over and over again. She lost count how many times she broke the older vampire's nose. It had gotten so rowdy that it even attracted the attention of Stefan Salvatore. His eyes widened when he watched her long, pale leg swing up and roundhouse kick the woman in her jaw, making her head spin.

Damon's eyes were locked on Nova the entire time. He had seen Stefan enter out of the corner of his eye. "The girl is a beast," he told his brother with a smirk. "Sage has at least 700 years on Nova but not even all that time can help her now."

"How is that even possible?"

He shrugged. "I couldn't begin to tell you. But I can tell you that she is the very last person on the face of this good Earth that I would ever want to piss off."

The bell rang furiously when Sage hit the ropes followed by the floor. Some blood from her mouth and nose dripped across the ring's floor. Nova was announced winner and spat a small mouthful of blood at Sage's feet as she stood. The $200 was handed to her; she slipped it into her bandeau beneath her right breast. "I will demolish anyone that attempts to get mine and Damon's way. That imbecile is all I've got." She smiled softly.

* * *

[Present]

Damon could see the fight or flight kicking in leaning towards the flight. Before she could vanish from him again he grabbed her and held her as tightly as he could. He heard the bell to the Grill ding and looked over his shoulder to see Elena starting to panic. If Nova got one look at her that would be victim number sixty-eight. "Go, Stefan!" He yelled. "Get her out of here, quick!"

The younger brother didn't hesitate. He whipped around, grabbing the brunette, and took off before the girls could get a good look at one another. Damon pulled Nova further down the alley, sliding down the wall and holding her firmly in his arms and on his lap. She fought for the first few minutes but he didn't budge and remained cradling her. Eventually she started to sob and he started to finger through the knots in her hair. "You think 67 people in a quarter of a day is bad for you?" He laughed a little. "I seem to recall a day in 1938 when you went positively bat shit - for good reason at least - and annihilated close to two hundred people in maybe half that time."

She sniffled. "You remember that?"

"I've kept track of most of your victims, _dolcezza_. Clearly there's some I'm missing but I like to think my amusement has logged the majority. And whenever you go too far, I will be there to pull you back. Every second, every day, till you don't need me."

She looked up at him, tears still spilling down through the blood on her cheeks. "But _why_?"

He smiled and rubbed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away some blood and tears. "'Cause right now, you're all I got."


	17. Never Thought You'd Fall So Far

17: Never Thought You'd Fall So Far.

Elena crept through the boarding house in search of Stefan. He had told her Nova was also there, holed up in Damon's room smoking through a pack an hour out the window. She tried to remain as quiet as she could, turning around and still running into the ravenette. She jumped back, clinging to the strap of her bag nervously. Nova just stood there looking like she hadn't slept in days with a glass of what looked like whiskey and blood in her hand.

She sipped the drink, still staring at the brunette. "Stefan was kind enough to run out and get me more smokes. He'll be back shortly." Her voice was hoarse and pained.

"I-I'm sorry, they told me you were...keeping to yourself...otherwise I would have…"

Nova shrugged. "I just came downstairs." She swirled the drink in her cup. "Needed a drink."

Elena nodded slowly. "I just came by to pick up this book that Stefan found, on my ancestor, Samantha."

She took another sip and walked over to a bookcase, taking down an old, leather journal. She walked back and handed Elena the book. "You can either waste your time reading through her chicken scratch or I can give you the SparkNotes. I knew the girl."

The brunette took the journal and looked at her curiously. "You knew Samantha Gilbert?"

"Samantha Gilbert was committed to an insane asylum, she tried to give herself a lobotomy with a knitting needle, and bled to death on the floor of her cell. If the same thing is happening to Alaric then there is nothing you can do."

"How do you know all of this?"

Nova finished her drink and poured herself another glass of whiskey. "Well first, I found the journal. I'll let you in on a little secret of my bingers: I'll throw a fit - which is why a lot of things upstairs are broken, then I get really, really A.D.D. or whatever Damon calls it. I spent five hours just going through all the old books and journals in this place. Stefan was getting in my way looking for whatever about Samantha Gilbert. Half hour later I threw the stupid book at him. As far as what I know about Samantha aside from the journal," she took a big swig, "she was a friend of mine. I probably could have gotten her released if the town didn't have a stupid anti-vampire council that gave every Tom, Dick, and Harry gods damned vervain." She rolled her eyes.

"You...you were friends with a Gilbert?" Elena asked with disbelief.

Nova nodded. "For a long time I didn't know the Gilberts were descended from the Petrova line. Jonathan Gilbert often also treated me as one of his own in 1864 if Giuseppe was too busy or away. Samantha had seen me beat Sage in the ring in 1912. She was probably my biggest fan that wasn't Damon." She smiled for a split second before it vanished. "I tried to help her but eventually I had to let go."

They both stood there sharing an awkward silence for a few minutes before Elena spoke up. "How are you doing? Damon said that you were…" She trailed off.

"I assume you'd like the truth." The brunette nodded. She swigged the whiskey and licked her lips. "It's taking a lot for me not to tear your throat out with my teeth. I also assume there's more questions poking around in that head of yours so now is the time to ask while I'm docile and have at least liquor."

She stuttered at first, surprised by the offer. She knew she had to make her questions worth it and not ones that could make her snap. "Uhm...w-what about your humanity?"

"You're asking if it's back?" Elena nodded again. She shrugged. "I suppose it could go either way. I'm still considerably detoxing." She rolled her eyes. "But Damon usually knows the right buttons to push."

The door opened and she seemed relieved, thinking it was Stefan with her cigarettes. Elena jumped when the glass shattered in the ravenette's hand. Her eye twitched; the brunette realized Damon had come home, but with Sage. She looked at Nova with wide, fearful eyes. "And he just pressed a _very_ wrong button," she snarled. Elena could hear the Romanian accent in her words. She shuddered.

Sage noticed the wrathful ravenette and took a step away from Damon's side. Damon looked back and forth at Nova and Elena; one wrong move and Nova could easily grab and kill Elena. She was close enough for arm's length which was lethal enough for Nova. He could see the fire starting to burn in her eyes; she snarled and her fangs peeked out over her bottom lip. "Elena," he started cautiously, "please step away from Nova...Nova, please don't eat Elena, we have company…"

Her eye twitched again but that time out of spite her hand launched to the side towards Elena. Damon moved quickly in knocking the brunette towards the door and grabbing Nova's hand. She growled, eyes darkening, and whipped her arm around which snapped his wrist. He shouted in pain and she started screaming in Romanian. Damon snapped his wrist back into place and started yelling back at her in Italian. After a few slurs they started shoving each other. Damon said something and she took a step back, gasping.

"That is absolutely piggish and vile and I will not allow it happen!" She shouted, giving Damon a good shove into a bookshelf.

Sage stepped forward boldly. "Nova, I'm sorry but it needs to be done if you want Klaus dead."

Without hesitation she rammed her fist in the redhead's nose, bringing her to knees and dripping blood on the wood floor. "It most certainly does not. Poking around in someone's head, especially a vulnerable young woman that you're only using, is fucking disgusting and wrong." She looked to Damon who wiped some blood from his mouth. "If you go through with this then you will never see a shred of my fucking humanity again. This is low, even for you, who hunted a woman not even locked in a tomb for the better portion of 150 years." She ripped her coat off the rack and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Nova drowned herself in liquor and food at the bar of the Grill. She lost count at how many shots of top shelf tequila she had put back but at least she'd eaten two medium rare burgers, a large platter of cheese fries, and popcorn shrimp. One thing she always learned to love about America was the food; constant, never ending, filling, fattening (although not for her) food. She wished there was a pizza place nearby. A familiar laugh caught her ears as it got closer and she put back what could have been her hundredth shot in the last couple hours.

"I came here because I heard there was a beautiful lady singing," Kol commented with a smirk as he sat on the bar stool beside her. "What a surprise to find her drowning in liquor and food like a sad little girl."

Nova groaned and rolled her eyes, tipping back another shot. "Fuck you, I'm not sad. I'm fucking pissed off and trying not to commit mass murder in the 21st century."

"I'll have whatever she's having," he told the bartender. When she came back with two shots of tequila for them he sniffed it and laughed. "You are having a rough day, aren't you, darling?" He chuckled and tipped the shot back after her. "Come on, even though you daggered me after, you still asked me to be your drinking buddy." He grinned at her while she rammed two large fries in her mouth. "Could this," he tapped her shot glass, "have anything to do with Damon and Sage playing on my dear sister's insecurities in an attempt to kill Niklaus?"

"You know?" She asked with a hint of disbelief.

He rolled his eyes and took one of her fries. "Everybody always underestimates or forgets about me. I was never part of their 'always and forever' bullshit. Frankly I'd love nothing more than to get the bloody hell out of this pathetic town."

"Why don't you then?"

"I'm sorry, have you met Niklaus?" He smiled a little when she started to crack and laugh. "You want to be rid of my brother and free from all the bullshit ties in this town?"

She scoffed as she swallowed another fry. "What kind of strings come attached?"

"I'll help you kill my brother," she looked at him, "but you've got to break this bloody link. We've been forced to either follow him or lay in boxes for the last thousand years. I don't even care if you keep him linked to Finn and off Finn! By all means, he's not exactly our favorite either."

"I've been having a lot of issues with the Mikaelson family for one reason or another. I've also already made an attempt on your life." He chuckled. "How am I supposed to trust you and vice versa?"

"I gave you your beautiful sai blades," he smirked. "I collect dark objects. I've collected a lot from the Vasile line alone in the last thousand years. You can take what you want if you agree to help me."

"What if I can't actually help?"

"Then I suppose we're just going to have fun trying."

She leaned on the bar, staring at him for a moment before waving over the bartender. "Two more." The woman smiled and took their glasses, filling them quickly before walking away. "You've got yourself a deal."

He started to laugh. "Not going to check with Damon first?"

Nova tipped back the shot, staring ahead. "If he wants to play a game then I'm just going to have to play better."

* * *

Nova took off her sunglasses as she got out of the sleek, black Bugatti with Kol holding her door open for her. She looked around as they walked into a warehouse on the outskirts of town. Part of her was still suspicious but she had enough tequila and anger in her that she didn't give a damn. He lifted the door and let her in, flicking on the lights. She let out a low whistle looking around at the many shelves filled with boxes stuffed with objects. Kol put his hand on the small of her back (which she cautiously allowed) and led her to the back shelf. Some boxes had Vasile written normal but some were in runes.

"The Vasiles have been around that long?" She muttered.

Kol nodded and took down a couple of boxes. "I'm surprised you didn't know. You're not the first Vasile in Mystic Falls, just the first since it became Mystic Falls. A thousand years ago we also took in a Romanian refugee - Daciana Vasile."

"What happened to her? The only Vasiles I was taught about was from about 1450 and on."

"You probably shouldn't worry yourself about her right now then. I'd heard rumors of a beautiful warrior princess slaying her foes with enchanted blades. I couldn't believe myself when I found them. Niklaus almost did but I hid them quickly."

 _Safely assumed because of whatever happened to Daciana,_ Nova thought as she sifted through a box mindlessly.

"You've got an impressive collection," she complimented him. "And I thank you for finding and returning my blades to me. I'm also thankful Klaus doesn't know about this stuff. They really overlook you, don't they?"

He shrugged and toyed with an old sword. "I've always been the 'wild one' in the family. None of them ever had the patience for me."

She scoffed and pulled out a long, black box with a bracelet inside. "I know the feeling," she told him. The bracelet was silver with rubies like a lot of her family jewelry was. "Zina Vasile," she mused, rubbing her thumb over the inscription of the case.

"Has Damon really been the only man - and I use that term loosely - in your life? No wild nights with anyone else?"

Nova shrugged and closed the case. "Pretty much. Since I got to America in 1860 it's just been us two. My wild nights with other people usually consisted of slaughtering them, not sleeping with them." She laughed a little.

"Forgive me if I overstep any boundaries here but have you two ever actually been together? Especially with all the women he's gone around with?"

She smiled softly, finding more things with Zina Vasile's name carved into them. "They're actually mostly stories. Usually it was drunk women the two of us picked up and it got carried away to the point they were dead on the floor. But no, we've never been an 'item' or had any sort of label. We just act how we want to around each other with no sense of personal space."

Kol opened his mouth to speak when his phone went off. He took it out of his pocket and found a picture message sent to him. When he opened it any humor or lightness vanished from his face. Nova stood, knowing something was wrong. He looked at her with pity, debating if he actually wanted to show her or not. Slowly, he turned the screen towards her and watched the fire ignite in her emerald eyes.

Nova snatched the device from his hand, looking closely at the image. It was Rebekah and Sage all over each other and Damon with bottles of booze at the boarding house. Her hand nearly crushed the phone but Kol quickly took it back. "I fucking warned him!" She shouted, fangs extending over her bottom lip.

He laughed a little, starting to like the way she was getting heated and that Damon had betrayed her the way he did. "What do you say we get some revenge then?" He smirked.

She looked up at him warily, fangs popping back into her mouth. "Please don't mistake me for that sort of girl, Kol."

He looked down at the picture again and back at her with a smirk. "I assure you, darling, I do not. I'm merely suggesting a little 'fuck you' to the Salvatores and Mikaelsons." He stepped closer to her, playing with the phone in his hand.

Nova caught sight of the picture again and her fangs returned with a deep snarl. She looked up at him while he still smirked down at her. A playful lust danced around in his dark eyes. "You best be able to back up that ego." She grabbed him by the collar, pulling him to her, and kissed him passionately.

He still smirked against her lips (which were just as soft as he figured they were) and tossed his phone onto a shelf. He pushed her up against a wall, lifting her off her feet and wrapping her legs around his waist. Their jackets went flying across the warehouse and the phone screen finally dimmed and locked.

* * *

Damon stood over the fireplace burning the milling records from 1912. They had found that part of Wickery Bridge was made from the white oak they needed. He heard Sage come in after seeing Rebekah out and smirked, still burning the papers. The redhead stood behind him, watching, with her arms crossed. "Are you going to tell Nova what happened today?"

"I'd like to if she'd answer her damn phone," he replied, watching the last record burn. "She's not going to be happy but I should be able to calm her down in the next century or two." He took out his phone and dialed Nova _again_.

"Bloody hell, mate, it's a good thing you've all got unlimited minutes to call but the lovely lady is a bit busy. She seems to have outlasted you in the bedroom and you had two other women with you."

His and Sage's jaws dropped when they heard Kol Mikaelson answer Nova's phone. Rage flooded Damon; he tried desperately not to break his phone in his hand. "I swear to god, Kol, if you hurt her I'll end your life."

Kol laughed hysterically on the other end. Damon tried to listen in the background for Nova but heard nothing. "So sorry mate, but I already did. I hurt her really, really good. So good that even Niklaus is going to throw a fit when he arrives home." He laughed again and ended the call.

Damon called her phone back but it went straight to voicemail. Kol had shut it off. He turned back to Sage just to find her gone. He let out a frustrated yell and threw his phone.

* * *

"Your grand plans always seem to get ruined, don't they? Sorry to disappoint you. Again."

Damon looked between Rebekah and Sage on Wickery Bridge. "You set me up," he directed at the redhead.

"No. I'm just looking out for myself." She replied. "The Originals are linked, if one dies they all die. If I can get inside her head, don't you think I'd be able to get inside yours? You were going to let Finn die."

"It's probably for the best, really."

All eyes turned and found Nova sitting on the bridge, looking up at the sky with a darkness in her eyes. "You have no business here, Nova," Sage told her defiantly. "Shouldn't you be occupied with Kol? At least Finn has morals."

"If you're a bloody nun, sure," Kol laughed. He sat on the hood of Sage's car, making sure she couldn't run.

Nova leaped down from her perch and looked at the two other girls. Something in her dark green eyes made them shudder. "Should I be as occupied with Kol as you two were with Damon earlier?"

Kol smirked and pulled up the picture on his phone before tossing it to Damon. His light eyes widened with horror. "How the hell did you get this?"

"Look at the sender."

He backed out of the picture to the chat. When he saw the name and contact ID his blue eyes wafted back up to Rebekah. "You did this?"

She shrugged. "Collateral in the event that I was being used, which I was."

Nova walked up to him. He stared down at her apologetically. The wind blew her hair around lightly. "I told you not to do this," she spoke in a strained and hurt voice. "Now you're going to regret it. Everyone is going to regret it."

She spun on her heel and started walking. As she passed Sage's car Kol joined her side, putting an arm around her shoulder. He looked back at Damon and flipped him off, telling Nova how hot she was when she was pissed off. Damon could only stare after her.

* * *

 **A/N:** I've finished writing my chapter for _The Departed_! And I've been planning for season 4 already. Stay tuned xx


	18. When I Need You the Most

18: When I Need You the Most.

"Hey," Matt greeted Caroline and Elena in the woods. "What's with the cryptic secret meeting text?"

"I don't know," Elena shrugged. "Stefan just said to meet here."

The Salvatores came walking up, a duffel bag in Stefan's hand. Everyone could see how visibly distraught Damon had become. "Where's Bonnie and Lethia?" The younger brother asked. "I texted them too."

"Uhm," Caroline shifted awkwardly, "Bonnie's mom bailed on her. Again. So, I think we should leave her out of this one…"

Damon seemed to twitch. He knew Abby Bennett was twice as bad being a vampire and that only happened because he pleaded for Nova's help.

"What are we doing here?" Matt questioned.

"We found some more white oak," the elder Salvatore deadpanned. "Long story, wait for the movie."

They heard massive paws slamming furiously against the ground, growing closer. Out of the trees jumped a massive golden wolf that landed on two human feet in the group. Lethia smiled and smoothed out her clothes. "You mean like a weapon that can kill Klaus?"

Stefan dropped the duffel bag wide open to show them several white oak stakes. "I mean enough weapons for each of us to have a shot."

"Fuck yes!" The blonde wolf exclaimed, snatching up a stake and playing with it. "Where's Nova? You'd assume she'd be all over this shit."

The brothers exchanged wary glances. "That's...that's the problem," Stefan sighed. "To find the White Oak Damon did something she told him not to…"

"She's fraternizing with the enemy," Damon admitted bitterly. "Sleeping around with Kol Mikaelson out of spite."

"Oh fuck," Lethia gasped. The other three were also taken back. "Klaus is going to lose his fucking mind when he finds out." She rubbed her face.

"You really didn't know?" Damon questioned. "I thought with your link you could."

"I usually can - I could always feel her moods spike around you, how afraid she was when Klaus got into her head...but for a couple days now it's just blank. Like there's no connection at all. For a second I thought she was dead but I know very well that I would feel that."

"Then we're going to need to move even quicker," Stefan told them. "We need to finish this before Nova can fall so far we can't reach her anymore."

* * *

" _Al naibii!_ " Nova groaned dramatically as she tried to grab the cigarette from Kol's hand. "It's 3DP, _măgar_! That means three drags and you pass it back!"

Kol laughed and held her at arm's length just waiting for the black sheet to unravel itself from around her chest. "I don't know, lovely, I'm quite fond of watching you get all riled up, speak in your native tongue, _and_ climb all over me."

"That's my lucky, _pizdă!"_

He started laughing hysterically. He wasn't fluent in Romanian but he knew some curse words, especially that one. He took another long, dramatic drag and blew it in her face. "Not my fault you get bloody shorts," he teased.

"Listen, I'd love to get 100s but Camel Crush is only shorts. Eat me."

Kol licked his lips and looked her up and down. "I just might, again."

Her cheeks turned bright pink and she yanked the cigarette from his fingers while he laughed. "Keep that tongue in your mouth, mister." She took a long drag herself.

His arms snaked around her bare waist. "You certainly were not shouting that earlier."

Nova rolled her eyes, puffing the cigarette. "I absolutely loathe this mansion."

"As do I. Niklaus has no sense of style."

She put the cigarette back to her lips and they heard yelling from downstairs. Klaus and Finn had returned at last. The two of them leaped up, Nova slamming the cigarette into a small ashtray. They whisper yelled at one another and tried not to laugh while they looked for their clothes. The two older brothers could hear a small ruckus going on upstairs.

"What is that?" Finn asked worriedly.

"Probably just Kol with some poor girl compelled for dinner," Klaus replied, striding towards the stairs. He made it up the first when he heard the girl laugh. He froze immediately, recognizing the sound. His blood started to boil.

"That sounded like it belonged to Nova Vasile," Finn commented.

"It did," he growled, stomping up the stairs. He got to the top few steps and his younger brother emerged from the hall with none other than Nova Vasile. They both looked disheveled in wrinkled versions of the previous day's clothes. "What in the bloody hell is this?!"

Kol snickered. "Shouldn't it be obvious, brother? We've been around long enough." He put an arm around the ravenette and walked her past Klaus.

Klaus grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against a wall, leaving a large crack. "You're supposed to be in Denver. Miss your flight?"

He shoved the hybrid off of him, brushing himself off. "Yes, I did. For an exquisite lady whom at least one of us knows how to attract instead of threaten."

The door opened and Rebekah waltzed in, spotlight falling on her. "Do you see this?" Klaus demanded of her. "What's been going on between these two?"

The blonde shrugged. "Not my problem. She's occupied; I've got unfinished business with Damon Salvatore."

Nova's head immediately snapped towards the blonde. Kol was quick to notice the look in her eyes, the way they shined at the mention of Damon's name. Attention spun quickly to Finn who tried to escape, demanding he wouldn't help them break the link. A woman's voice came descending from the stairs, making Kol and Nova groan. Sage smiled. "Hello, Finn."

Kol grinned up at Klaus menacingly. "Y'know, brother, if you need help with the ladies that badly, I'd be glad to give you a couple of lessons for free but they're going to cost after that."

Klaus started to snarl and the younger brother laughed, chasing the raven haired vampire back up the stairs and away from the other siblings. Until they were distracted Kol and Nova were trapped.

* * *

Nova's eyes fluttered open; she'd barely even slept. She knew she was in enemy territory and anything could happen at any point. She didn't trust Kol, she just needed to lash out at Damon and Klaus and the world. As quietly as she could she slipped out of the bed and grabbed her jeans and shirt on the chair nearby, having taken them off to relax in her bra and panties. She grabbed her boots in her hands and tiptoed as silently as possible out the door and down the stairs. She had a hand on the knob when she heard the only noise that could have possibly kept her - Damon in agony.

She cursed in Romanian, looking back to where the sound was coming from deeper in the mansion. She turned back to the door, hand on the knob again. Damon tugged at his restraints that she couldn't see, causing more pain and blood. She tuned out the shout, but she couldn't ignore how strong the scent of his blood was. Rebekah was bleeding him out to get rid of the vervain. She started to have a silent argument with herself, tugging at her hair. Listening closer she heard the mutterings of Bonnie Bennett attempting the spell to unlink the siblings.

"Every fucking time," Nova muttered, dropping her boots at the door and sprinting towards Damon barefoot.

She skid through his blood pooled on the floor, nearly crashing into him. Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide with horror. He was strung up by bear traps to the ceiling and floor. "Oh my holy lords," she breathed, immediately running to break open the traps.

"Nova…?" Damon groaned, his head lolling weakly.

"Shush, _iubițel_ ," she smiled up at him, sliding her little fingers between the spikes of the trap. She grasped onto it firmly, ignoring the way it cut into her own skin, and pulled back until it snapped open and his ankle was free.

"Not even in my hallucinations did I think you'd come back for me…"

She jumped to the other ankle trap. "Then you're as daft as I am temperamental," she muttered, clutching the metal tighter. The sound of Klaus' footfalls made her anxious. She hastily snapped open the second trap, further cutting up her hands.

"Your hands," Damon groaned. "Stop it. Before you hurt yourself."

"I don't even feel it," she told him, standing on her toes to reach the traps on his wrists. She had to lean close enough that their chests brushed one another, his blood staining her shirt. "They'll heal. I need to hurry before-"

"Before you're found, luv?"

Damon could see the fear on her face the second Klaus spoke. She froze against him, her fingers buried into the sharp traps forcing her to remain on her tip toes. Her eyes shifted slowly and met Damon's. He forced a smile through the pain for her and mouthed, ' _it'll be okay'._

"You know, you are quite amusing Miss Vasile." Klaus commented with a light, threatening chuckle. "You reject my marriage proposal, sleep with my baby brother, and still vye for the affection of a man who has never showed you the same."

" _Bullshit!_ " Nova shouted, ripping her fingers out of the trap and whirling around in a mass of hair and blood. "Damon Salvatore has shown me what the fuck ' _affection'_ even is!"

"Alright, luv, I'll give you one final chance. If you wish to spare Damon's life right now and for the continuance of his existence on this Earth then marry me and give me what I want."

A fire burned deep in her emerald eyes. She remained rooted defiantly in front of Damon. "Get bent, Niklaus."

Klaus snarled at the use of his full first name by her. "Perhaps I'll call Kol down here instead then."

"That won't be necessary," interrupted Stefan. Nova took a deep breath, muttering to the ceiling in Romanian in the hopes some God would take pity on her.

"Oh good," Klaus started to laugh. "A hero. What do you want?"

"I'm here to make a deal."

"Oh Lords," Nova breathed, her palm slapping her forehead hard.

"Eight stakes made of white oak," Stefan continued, dropping a duffel bag at Klaus' feet. "The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn."

"Are you shitting me?!" the ravenette whisper-yelled at him. "You had white oak fucking stakes?!"

"That's impossible," Klaus confirmed.

"Actually it's not," the younger Salvatore retorted. "Finn is dead. Damon and Nova for the stakes." He looked to Nova, hoping she actually had intent to come home. He had seen her boots at the door and she was caught trying to save Damon so he wung it.

"And how do I know there aren't any more left?" Klaus questioned.

Nova stared at Stefan with wide eyes. "Yes, Stefan," she snarled through grit teeth. "How would he know? Because we're not exactly in a position to fuck up, now are we?"

"Let's be certain," Klaus smirked as he walked towards Damon, "shall we?"

The second he got too close both Stefan and Nova stepped forward, blocking his path to Damon. Klaus stopped and started to laugh a little. Nova took a small step back. "I suppose Nova has used all the fuck ups for you lot today, hasn't she?" She froze mid step when she heard Kol. Stefan was ripped away from his brother by Rebekah and in an instant so wasn't Nova. She cursed in Romanian, held tightly by Kol who hadn't put a shirt on. "You poor thing," he cooed, smoothing down her hair with one hand as Klaus approached Damon. "So hung up over someone so unworthy."

"Minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?"

"Stefan, how many fucking stakes are there?!" Nova shouted, thrashing against Kol as best as she could.

Damon groaned, trying to resist the compulsion but Rebekah had bled the vervain from his system. "Eleven," he forcibly answered.

"Eleven?!" Both Nova and Klaus shouted.

"I'll get you the other three!" Stefan spoke quickly, fighting against Rebekah to no avail.

"You really shouldn't have lied," the blonde chastised.

"Since you lied, maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue." Klaus shrugged.

"What is wrong with you?" Stefan yelled exasperatedly.

"What is wrong with you?! Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate, to loathe, a target for all of your anger; so you don't have to turn it on yourself. I have given your life purpose, as your friend." He laughed. "I really think you should be thanking me."

Out of intense rage, Stefan broke free from Rebekah's grasp. He whipped a stake out of his back loop and rushed at Klaus. The hybrid easily grabbed him and pinned his wrist to the wall until he dropped the stake. "Step down or Nova will get to watch both of you die."

"There," Rebekah spat as she harshly undid Damon's other two restraints, "now they only need to get you two bloody stakes. This is ridiculous."

"What are you doing?"

"I brought him here. I get to release him. My rules now. Bring us the stakes and you both live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith."

"What about sweet Nova?" Kol chimed in, smirking and nuzzling the ravenette's hair. She wriggled beneath his grasp, not looking at anyone.

"Well you can get your filthy hands off of her to start," Klaus quipped venomously.

Kol snickered and held tighter to her, wrapping one arm across her chest and one across her waist, his hand firmly on her hip. With the hand across her chest he grabbed her chin and forced her head up to look at everyone and expose her neck. Stefan had grabbed Damon, heading towards the door slowly. They both looked at her; Damon strained himself trying to reach for her.

Nova forced a smile the same way Damon had. "It's okay," she whispered for them to hear. "I'll be okay."

Stefan practically dragged Damon both because he was weak, and trying to fight back and fight for Nova. The younger Salvatore just kept pulling. "Nova," he groaned, fighting against his little brother. "Nova!"

When they were finally gone a tear slipped from the ravenette's eye. Rebekah noticed first and turned away with pity and remorse. Kol's hand brushed away the tear and he leaned his chin on her shoulder. He kissed her neck, making her shudder. "Don't worry darling, we'll have much more fun." He leaned close to her ear, his voice dropping so low only she could hear him. " _I'll do my best for you."_

She was about to panic and move but he quickly rammed his fangs deep in her neck. She let out a pained cry and gave into the darkness.

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Al naibii_ \- Romanian - goddamn

 _măgar_ \- Romanian - jackass


	19. I've Been Waiting For You

19: It's Been Waiting For You.

"Do you think everything will be alright?" Elena asked absent-mindedly as she stared out the window of the Maserati.

Lethia focused on the road, one hand on the wheel at the bottom, resting on her thigh; the other on the gear shifter at her right side. "Alaric has a vampire hating alter ego that hid the final stake and Damon went off the grid. I think it's another day in Mystic Falls. Still better than half the shit I've seen in my life."

"How could you have possibly seen worse than this?"

"Nova and I have hit rock bottom together because we're linked. She's a Moroi, I'm a Kross Wolf. We're both monsters. When we got linked together it intensified too immensely. There were a couple of times, looking back on it, that I think we frightened even Damon." She laughed a little. "Over the course of my extended life I have found that we are bound to those we share blood with. But those people do not have to define us. We can choose our family and that bond is what can be both your greatest strength but also bear you the most pain knowing it's the path you chose. I chose Nova. That will never change."

Elena had turned to look at her while she spoke, just letting the blonde continue on. "We are the most feared creatures in the world, her and I. A lot of people still think the Mikaelsons are only a rumor but many know us. We were damaged beyond repair, we've lived without hope, we're not even sure if we can die. We are the definition of cursed and imperfect but we'll never give into the fear. Through eternity."

"Through eternity?"

Lethia chuckled. Her sleeve shifted back a little and Elena caught sight of a charm bracelet on her wrist. "It's sort of our thing we use to comfort each other. Damon was never really cheesy enough to say it too but if one of us said it he'd get the hint. It's like, wherever we are in the world, whatever is going on, though the entire eternity we walk and breathe we've got each other."

* * *

Nova awoke with a start, immediately recognizing the room she was in. She jumped up and ripped the door open, banging on the barrier spell keeping her sealed in. She yelled and cursed in Romanian, letting her frustration out on the barrier. "Niklaus so help me gods I will have your heart!" She slammed the door furiously and threw herself back down on the bed, curling beneath some of the blankets.

A few minutes later the door opened and Kol stepped in chuckling. "I was wondering when you'd be up." He sat beside her on the bed and she curled up deeper in the comforter. "Rebekah and I tried to get you out of here but we needed Niklaus off our backs. This was the stipulation."

"Gee, thanks." She grumbled beneath the blankets. "Now kindly fuck off."

The young Mikaelson chuckled and pulled back enough comforter to kiss her temple, one hand sliding beneath the pillows. "Just be patient, beauty. Figured Damon would have taught you that good diabolical master plans take time."

She sat upright quickly, finding him gone. She scowled and curled beneath the blankets again. After twenty minutes of tossing and turning she flung herself out of the bed and started to pace around the room. There were a few books that she'd already read long ago and anxiously sped through them again. Another fifteen minutes of pacing. A few times she would bang on the window barriers or kick the door barrier. She finally dropped back down onto the mattress, staring up at the white ceiling and playing with her daylight necklace when something started to vibrate the mattress.

She leaped up with surprise and felt around the blankets before tossing the pillows aside. Something fell out of a discarded pillow, tumbling to the wood floor. Nova let out a small gasp when she found that it was her phone. Kol had snuck her her cellphone. She quickly snatched it up and was relieved to see Lethia's name and photo on the screen. "Thea!" She cried when she answered. "Oh thank gods, Thea!"

"Nova!" The blonde shouted back. "Is it seriously you? Fucking Kol Mikaelson told me to call at this precise time. I thought-I was afraid you were in some kind of trouble and it was like negotiations or some shit!"

"No, no, the little weasel actually slipped me my phone. What's going on? I'm sealed in that stupid fucking room at the mansion again like a big dumb dope."

Lethia laughed a little. "Yeah, yeah you kind of are, Nov. What do you mean Kol slipped you your phone though? Elena and I are in Denver trying to retrieve Jeremy and he's terrorizing us through the damn state. Bonnie unlinked the siblings but linked them accidentally to their sire line instead."

Nova's hand covered her mouth. She had to think quickly. She knew Damon turned her, and Katherine turned the brothers which unfortunately kept her alive, but what if they were off of Klaus' sire line at the very end of it all? If they wanted Klaus dead they would have to break the sire line link or they'd all die with him. "Fuck…" She muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Listen, don't-don't kill him, for obvious reasons, but this isn't his fault. He's just doing what Klaus tells him for whatever reasons benefit him because he's got some kind of plan."

"That's not comforting, Nov."

"I know but it's all we've got. His siblings undermine him, whatever he's got brewing in that thick skull of his could work."

"But how do we know it's to help us? Or even you? Thanks to him you're spelled in a room again."

"Not by his or even Rebekah's choice. Listen, Thea-" She was stopped short when she heard a commotion in the background. The phone fell to the ground, still on the call. She could make out Lethia and Elena's voices before she heard Kol's. "Thea!" She shouted into the phone. "Fuck, Elena?! Either of you?!"

There was a loud bang and the phone was swept up, feet pounding on the pavement. "I'm here!" Lethia panted as she ran. "Kol showed up. His face will heal, I swear! But I had to make that fucker's head spin with a metal bat!"

Nova groaned. "Oh my gods. You two just go and take care of yourselves." They hung up and she held the device in her lap, staring at her background; it was still set to Damon. Her fingers started tapping around on the screen until she was in her contacts with Damon's number pulled up. She stared at the familiar number that didn't even need to be saved. He had done it for her just as he did in his own phone, giving them each a silly picture for the contact ID. Lethia had gotten ahold of the phone once and added black hearts next to his name. Nova's thumb lingered over the call button before pressing down. She chewed her nail anxiously as it rang.

Barely on the second ring and he answered. "Nova…?"

"Y-yeah," her voice cracked a little, lips turning into a shy smile. "It's me. Kol snuck me my phone."

Damon exhaled a sigh of relief. "Are you alright? That bastard locked you in the room again, didn't he?" She wanted to answer, to talk to him, but it was enough just to hear his voice. She broke and started to cry. He laughed a little and tried to shush her. "Why are you crying, _dolcezza_? What happened?"

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, having fallen to the floor, leaning against the bed. "I've ruined everything."

Damon started to laugh which quieted her sobs. "That's not what I asked. You know, we've been here quite some time. I still consider myself your guardian. After all, you taught me how to stand up, what to stand for, and what generally happens to you when you do. I do everything you ask, I always come when you call. If we're gonna see this through, then we're gonna do it together."

Nova stopped all together, only a couple stray tears making their way down her cheeks. Something in her dark emerald eyes cracked and started to let light through. "I am trapped at the mansion again," she admitted softly. "Kol is terrorizing Lethia and Elena in Colorado. She told me what happened with the link too."

"It's alright, _dolcezza._ It always will be. I'll come for you like I always do. Through eternity."

Her breath caught in her throat, heart filling with hope. They were quiet a moment before Nova found the courage to speak first. "I love you, Damon."

The Camaro revved, Damon's foot stomping down on the gas as he smiled. One hand on the wheel he sped through town, a light dancing in his light blue eyes. "I love you too, Nova."

* * *

"Mother," Rebekah breathed when she saw Esther. She rushed at the woman and held her to the wall by her throat. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

"Because I'm dying," Esther deadpanned.

Rebekah let her go and took a step back. "How are you dying? I thought Ayana preserved your body with a spell."

"She did. I'm drawing my power from the Bennett witch line. When Abby died the connection was severed. So my body has weakened."

"Well, if you've come to spend your last moments with your loving daughter, prepare to be disappointed. You should have spent less time plotting my death."

"Is that what you think I've been doing on the other side? I've been looking over you for a thousand years. Of joy and heartbreak. Your fights with Klaus, the nights you cried yourself to sleep calling out my name. Not a day has gone by that I wasn't right there with you."

"And yet you still tried to kill me. You know what? You really want to make it up to me? Break the spell that seals Nova Vasile in the room upstairs."

Esther blinked with surprise. "Niklaus spelled her in a room here?"

Her daughter nodded. "This is the second bloody time he's done it. Nova is meant to be with Damon, mother! Tell me you don't see that as well. You'll have better luck trying to kill us than Niklaus does getting her to marry him and my help in doing so."

She started to shake; she was dying. "I do not have the power to break the spell but your brother Kol should. He collects dark objects. There's something in his collection to break the barrier. Find that and you can free Nova." As soon as she stopped speaking she stopped breathing all together. She shook some more before collapsing to the floor dessicated and very dead.

Rebekah knelt down beside her when she heard Klaus come up behind her. "What's going on?"

"She's dead…" When her brother walked out of the room she pulled out her cell phone and texted Kol quickly.

* * *

"Perfect timing," Rebekah told Damon, hastily getting into the Camaro.

Damon looked at her strangely. "Can I help you? I'm on a rescue mission for a girl trapped in your mansion."

"Niklaus' mansion, thank you very much. And if you care to do that then you'll drive where I say to." She showed him her conversation with Kol on her phone. He tossed her phone back and hit the gas.

The two sped in silence to Kol's warehouse of dark objects. Rebekah opened the door like her little brother instructed her to and led Damon inside. "Okay first, how the hell are we supposed to find one object through all of this and two, how sure are you that it'll actually break the barrier?"

"Kol fancies dark objects quite highly," Rebekah replied, searching for a specific box. "We're tired of Niklaus' tyranny and what he's done to Nova. She doesn't deserve it as the last Vasile daughter and as our friend. And yes, Kol looks at her like a friend. He's not actually moving in on your woman. In truth, I'm fairly certain he's pining for Lethia." She smirked.

Damon made a face as he dug through a random box. "Sad thing is that I'm pretty sure Lethia would go for him right back," he muttered. His eyes caught sight of a familiar name in the dark and he wandered further back, flicking the switch to another set of lights. "Holy shit," he breathed when he saw an entire shelf dedicated to the Vasile objects.

"That little bastard," Rebekah exhaled as she stared up at the shelves too. "He must have meant _that_ black box." She pointed up to a black metal box about fifteen or so shelves up from the floor.

* * *

Nova paced around the room with her phone clutched tightly in her hand. Every ten minutes she was looking at it whether to see a text or even just the photo on the screen. The last message Damon sent her only said, " _I've got it. I'm coming."_ Her eyes wouldn't leave the window, endlessly searching for the Camaro or even a crow. The door was burst open suddenly and she jumped, desperately trying to shove the phone in some pocket.

But it was too late. Klaus saw the device in her hand instantly. He stormed right to her and snatched up the phone, holding her at bay with one arm out. He unlocked it and snarled when he saw Damon's face grinning back at him. She reached for the phone against him, silently begging that he wouldn't open the texts. Rage consumed him and his hand crushed the phone into bits and pieces. Nova was terrified and rather upset at the property damage but thankful that he hadn't seen she was in contact with some kind of rescue, especially Damon.

"You throw yourself at my baby brother," he snarled, backing her into a corner, "and go right back to this Salvatore. You reject marrying me because you love him. _You love him._ Get over it already!"

Nova growled and stood tall against him. "If only you knew what happened between Damon and I before your failed attempt at a wedding," she smirked defiantly.

He grabbed her throat and slowly cut off her air supply. "Your wolf and the doppelganger failed at finding details to your sire line in Colorado. Now Kol gets to chase them to Kansas for a larger waste of time. If you care to spare their lives then marry me. This is your last chance, luv."

She grabbed his arm with both hands digging her sharp nails into his skin and making him bleed. "Get bent," she choked. "It'll always be Damon. Personally," she smirked, "I don't see a fairytale ending for you."

Klaus stared into those deep emerald eyes and watched them burn brightly. The fire had returned and gotten stronger. He wasn't sure if he could subdue her anymore. He hadn't noticed one of her hands let go of him until it swung up from beneath and uppercutted him. He backed up, releasing her, and she kept swinging. Punch for punch with each of her fists she swung, forcing him to retreat until he was on the other side of the barrier.

He wiped some blood from his lip and looked at her with a wrathful malice. "I can't wait to make you watch as I kill your precious Damon slowly." He spat a small mouthful of blood and stormed off down the stairs.

Nova let out a loud huff and plopped down on the side of the bed, watching her knuckles heal slowly. Her eyes wafted over to the shattered remains of her phone and she groaned, dropping her head into her hands. She hoped Damon backed up the photos somewhere.

"Nova!" Rebekah called, her heels clicking up the stairs.

The ravenette jumped to her feet ready for a fight. The second the door opened she would swing. When the door did fly open, however, she froze. Rebekah had come in, but behind Damon for obvious safety precautions. He saw the light back in her eyes and nearly forgot about the task at hand.

"We're making a jailbreak," the blonde told her, pulling a dagger from her boot. It was entirely black with strange symbols engraved in the metal. "One of Kol's little trinkets that he says can break a barrier spell."

"We don't have a lot of time," Damon added, gently touching Nova's face. Rebekah handed him the dagger and he knelt at the threshold, ramming the knife deep into the wood.

"Does it work?" The raven haired damsel questioned quietly. "Did it work?"

On the other side of the door Damon held his hand out to her with a smile. "Only one way to find out."

Hesitantly, Nova crept over to the door. She started first by pushing her hand through the barrier in reach of Damon's. When she felt him she leaped out of the room, past the barrier, and into his arms. She threw herself to Rebekah briefly to do the same. "Thank you both so much. I owe you each. And Rebekah, please tell Kol the same - though his favors are limited. I would but someone has now forced me to take a trip to the phone store."

Rebekah smiled and took her hands warmly. "There's time for all of that later. You and Damon need to leave now before Nik gets back for round two."

* * *

" _I found a grave  
_ _Brushed off the face  
_ _Felt your light  
_ _And I remember why I know this place…"_

Damon smiled when he heard her singing from the shower. Another set of lyrics he wasn't sure he'd ever get to hear. He kept listening while he moved about in the kitchen.

" _I found a bird  
_ _Closing her eyes  
_ _One last time  
_ _And I wonder if she dreamed, like me_

 _As much as it hurts  
_ _Ain't it wonderful to feel?  
_ _So go on and break your wings!  
_ _Follow your heart till it bleeds  
_ _As we run towards the end of the dream!"_

Nova didn't take terribly long in the shower, changing into black leggings and a loose dark green shirt that barely covered her stomach. She let her hair hang in damp, loose waves down her back and stepped out of the warm bathroom. A familiar scent hit her nose and her bare feet went padding down the stairs and skidding into the kitchen. "What in all holy Hell are you doing?" She scolded him.

He chuckled and stirred sauce in a large pan. "Preventing you from getting hangry or binge eating greasy burgers."

She sighed and leaned on the counter. "Damon, you don't have to. Really. It's been a shitty few days - weeks," she rolled her eyes. "And Klaus is still-"

"That's enough, Nova." Her eyes widened with surprise. "Go sit down and shut up, I'm almost done. You're eating."

" _Damon, it tastes vile. I'm not going to-"_

" _That's enough, Nova. You are sick. Shut up and take the medicine and get better."_

She blinked a few times and dragged herself over to the table, dropping in one of the chairs. She pouted and pulled her legs up, crossing them on the chair. Damon didn't turn around but he chuckled. "Pretty sure your parents would roll just seeing your table manners, let alone everything else."

"Shove it," she quipped playfully. "You might have taught me proper English but Giuseppe was going to break your elbows if your kept putting them on the damn table."

He laughed some more, turning around and putting a plate of grilled Tuscan chicken in a white wine sauce before her. He sat across from her with his own plate just looking at her with a smile occasionally. She stabbed around at the chicken, avoiding eye contact; he made her favorite dinner. He was up to something and she could feel it.

"What happened really should not-" She started.

Damon cut her off laughing again. "You talk a lot sometimes, you know that?" Her head snapped up to look at him. "Usually when you're getting anxious. It's real cute when the stutter comes out."

"Damon, be serious. What I've done-"

"Is nothing to be sorry for." The playfulness was gone from his voice. He was serious, just as she requested.

"Damon, we need to discuss this."

His lips tugged into a little smirk as he got up from his seat and walked towards her. "Fine, if you feel so bad, there might be a way you can make it up to me."

Nova threw her head back and groaned. "Oh please no more ultimatums. It's like pinball. You know I suck at pinball."

He started to laugh. "Well I really hope my question doesn't come off like that otherwise we might have a minor issue."

She looked up at him, or at least up at where he should have been, finding him having knelt down. She nearly jumped out of her chair when she realized he was only on one knee and tossing a little black box between his hands. Her cheeks turned bright pink and she started to shake and stutter. It made him laugh. "Alright, alright, shut your mouth," he teased her. The box landed in one hand and he clicked it open.

Tears brimmed in her eyes. "Is that-is that what I fucking think it is?"

"Listen," he told her. He realized she wasn't looking at him and chuckled. "Christ, Nova, look at me. Listen, I still don't know the details and traditions of marriage in the Vasile family, but I can tell you I don't give a damn about them. I don't want whatever comes with the name, the title, I don't need it. I just need you. And if the Vasile name is such a hassle then let it be Salvatore."

Nova sniffled, crying like an emotional human girl. "You're such a-I can't believe-we're not even a couple!"

He laughed. "So what do you call the last 150 or so years? Because I don't know if you've noticed, but the whole world thinks you've been my girlfriend this entire time considering that's what I've told everyone basically ever."

"You're absolutely serious right now?"

He almost fell over laughing. "Do you honestly think I'd be on one knee on your kitchen floor with my mother's ring for shits and giggles?"

"I hate you, you miserable ass," she cried as she jumped on him, bringing them both to the floor.

"Can I at least take that as a yes?" He grinned.

Nova wiped the tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand. She was smiling in a way Damon hadn't seen in a long time. "Yes."


	20. It's a Cold and It's a Broken Hallelujah

20: It's a Cold and It's a Broken Hallelujah.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Nova asked, running a nail along a bookshelf in Alaric's loft.

"Anything suspicious," Damon answered, going through some paperwork. "Different handwriting, something out of place." He shrugged.

Her emerald eyes darted all over the living room area of the flat when they spotted something curious. Her heels clicked against the wood walking over and grabbing the small jar. "Didn't you say Bonnie made Alaric some witchy herbs to keep him in check?"

"Yeah," he replied without looking up at her.

"Can they work if he doesn't take them?"

He put down the papers and walked over to her, grabbing the jar. They were Bonnie's herbs, completely untouched. He sighed and put the jar in his pocket. "Well now I know he definitely wasn't planning on a calming getaway. Come on." He put an arm around her shoulder and lead her out of the building. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a smirk tugging at his lips. "So Elena and Caroline are dragging Stefan to the Decade Dance at the school tonight."

Nova started to smile. "Are you seriously asking me to some 21st century dance themed in a decade we actually lived in?"

"I just might be."

She poked his side, grinning up at him. "You better not stab me with the pin of the corsage then." She winked.

* * *

"Well don't you just look dapper."

Stefan internally sighed and rolled his eyes. He was so close to the front door and going all afternoon without Damon's harassment. He turned to look at his brother, surprised when he saw him dressed up. "You're going to the dance?"

Damon smirked and fixed his little brother's tie. "It surprisingly didn't take much to convince my beautiful fiancee to accompany me."

He felt like he choked a little, not even because of Damon messing with his tie. "Fiancee?"

"Yeah that's a word I never thought I would hear even in my lifetime as well." Their eyes wandered over to the stairs to see Nova in one of her tight, red dresses actually from the 20s. Her hair was curled and pulled half up to her right side with pearls braided through. Her bright red lips pulled into a confident smirk. "Evening, boys." She waved with her left hand as she descended the stairs, purposely flaunting the ring to Stefan.

Damon took her by the same hand and kissed it lightly, making sure his little brother got a really good look. Slowly the shock on Stefan's face turned into a peaceful smile. "You know what? It's about time. Truly welcome to the family now, Nova."

She looked up at him with a smile and still some surprise. She could see the way he fidgeted that he wanted to hug her like an actual sister for once. She laughed a little and hugged him first. It barely took him a second to respond. He looked over her head to Damon who was smiling at the both of them.

"If Alaric is sick then we should find a cure. Something." Nova suggested quietly as she danced with Damon amongst the students.

"We tried medicine, we tried magic." He shook his head.

"So what do you suggest, putting him out of his misery entirely?" When he didn't respond she let out a small gasp. He dipped her low and pulled her back up quickly before she could smack him. "Damon he is your friend! Your comrade!"

"It's what he would want. It's a mercy killing."

"No!" Came the bereavement of Jeremy Gilbert. "No way in hell!"

He ran past them both, having overheard the suggest of killing Alaric. Elena saw her brother storming off and chased after him into the hallway. Stefan looked to where he had ran from and saw Nova and Damon. Nova huffed and took off after the Gilberts. Her heels clicked against the gym floor, only growing louder and echoing more into the hallway. She found the siblings and they stopped talking; Jeremy was clearly upset.

"I don't agree with him either," she started, putting a hand gently on his shoulder.

"This is Alaric we're talking about!" Jeremy argued still. "He looked out for us, now we need to do the same for him."

"No one is gonna hurt him," Elena assured her brother.

Stefan and Damon caught up to the three of him but it only upset Jeremy more. He took off down the rest of the hall and out the door. Elena, without hesitation, ran after him again. Nova groaned and held her hands up to the brothers. "Stay! I've got this. No, we're not fucking killing Alaric. There is always a way." She turned on her heel and ran out the door.

Elena had grabbed Jeremy's arm to stop him from running off the premises when Nova made it out to them. Just as Jeremy turned to her, they all froze. "Elena!" Esther's voice echoed through the dimly lit parking lot. "If you wish to help your friend Alaric, I suggest you come with me." Her eyes found Nova's. "And you I recommend going back inside to Damon."

The ravenette stomped her heeled feet up to the siblings, standing protectively in front of them. In one swift motion she pulled her sai blades from garters hidden beneath her dress. She twirled them between her fingers and held them tightly in her palms. "I don't take orders for the Mikaelson family."

"I truly wish you had just gone inside, child." She sighed and flicked her wrist, using her magic to snap Nova's neck.

"Jeremy," Elena spoke shakily, "go inside and get Stefan and Damon. Now!"

The younger Gilbert ran as fast as his feet could run back into the school. He found the siblings as they neared the doors; they had been gone too long. Jeremy ran back towards outside and back out the doors but couldn't find Elena or Esther. He looked back and the Salvatores were trapped behind the doors still.

"Salt," Stefan realized. "It's the binding agent for her spell."

"We're trapped here," Damon realized.

* * *

Klaus was storming down one of the halls towards an exit trying to call his sister, but reached her voicemail. "Rebekah, call me back immediately! I only came to this ridiculous dance because you begged me to and now you're nowhere to be found." He ended the call and saw a line of salt at the door. "What the hell is this?"

Heels hitting pavement grew louder. " _Nova, stop!"_ Damon yelled as loudly as he could. Stefan's voice followed with, " _Don't cross the barrier!"_ Klaus spun around as the Salvatore's skidded to a stop before him. Outside the doors Nova's heels slammed to a stop before she touched the threshold. She looked down and saw the salt, cursing in Romanian.

"Your mother is back," Stefan told Klaus boldly.

"And she's got Elena," Nova confirmed. "I wasn't down that long, I should be able to find them."

"Fucking be careful!" Damon shouted after her, not having a chance to argue as she sped off.

"Guess we're going to need to find our little witchy friend," Klaus hissed.

* * *

Nova had made it to the woods when she lost the scent of Elena's perfume. She cursed and punched a tree so hard she cracked it. A small ring on her right pinky finger broke into pieces, leaving only the band left on her finger. A sensation overtook her and her emerald eyes turned bright amber. For a moment she felt incredibly warm and less frustrated but she still saw woods around her. A branch cracked behind her, snapping her back to her normal chill. She spun around and was greeted with the most beautiful, familiar blonde she could ever hope to see.

Lethia and Nova ran at one another, slamming into a tight hug. "You might be like, a super-vamp, but you'll never have a nose like mine, Nov." The blonde laughed. "This is exactly why I don't do cheesy high school dances."

The ravenette smiled, still holding tightly to her best friend. "Quit rubbing it in my face and help me before it's too late, Thea."

The duo ran off deeper into the woods until they came to the old cemetery. Lethia gagged silently as she watched Elena pull the white oak stake out of Alaric. Nova looked up and saw they were at the Salvatore tomb. She shook her head. "He'll wake soon." Esther told Elena. "When he does he may for a time be his old self. If so you can say your goodbyes before his transition is complete."

'Does this count as too late?' Lethia mouthed to her comrade.

Nova shook her head. 'Not quite yet.'

"I desire a world where you and your loved ones will not suffer at the hands of vampires, like your Aunt Jenna did." They heard Esther speak.

Elena hissed back with venom, "Don't you dare use Jenna as an excuse for what you've done."

"You may draw comfort knowing that your aunt is not in the place that I was. She doesn't know the torment of The Other Side. Though made a vampire, she remained pure. She knows peace. Which is all any of us can hope for."

The wolf and vampire outside smelled Jeremy and Matt instantly. The boys were armed with a rifle and crossbow and told them to hush, marching on. The two girls facepalmed; a branch cracked beneath Matt's boot, alerting Esther. "Let her go," Jeremy demanded without hesitation, ready to fire an arrow.

"How foolish of you, to risk your lives in defense of those who will kill you. But if that is your choice."

Nova waved her hand, signaling Lethia it was time to move. With speed faster than even the Original witch the two girls knocked the boys out of the way. Before they entered the tomb to grab Elena and Esther, Alaric stood to his feet; everyone froze. Armed with the white oak stake he rammed it deep into Esther's chest.

* * *

"This is it," Nova sighed, leaning against the cold, stone wall.

"This is what?" Alaric humored her.

"Team Free Will...one ex-blood junkie, an egomaniac who would rather drown in bourbon than admits he cares, and a girl who does the fastest running when it's away from her problems."

"That's not funny."

She lolled her head and looked at him with a pitiful smile. "I'm not laughing."

"Listen, Nova," he told her quietly, "I'm not going to complete transition. My dark side was dangerous enough as a human. I can't be a vampire."

She rested her hand comfortingly on top of his. "I do admire you, Alaric. You have a braveness I lacked. I knew what sort of monster I would become and did it anyways."

He laughed a little. "No, you did the right thing staying by Damon. He needed you just as much as you needed him. Nova, can I-can I ask a favor of you?"

"A man on his deathbed always deserves some sort of comfort. Ask anything, Alaric."

"Don't leave Mystic Falls." She looked at him curiously. "Make your home here again. Be there for Jeremy and Elena, they clearly still need guidance and I think you could do with some extended family. They've lost too many people in their lives; they need somebody."

Nova smiled warmly. "You have my word. In truth, it was the sign I was looking for to stay. Damon isn't an easy one to stay with for an eternity," she laughed. "It takes a special kind of person. I don't mind making sure Elena and Jeremy thrive."

They were quiet for a moment before Damon appeared in the doorway with a bottle of whisky. "Is this the part where you give me a dream? Rainbows and rolling green hills?" Ric asked with a smirk.

Damon took a swig from the bottle and Nova took it from his hand. "I was drunk when I told you that." He stole the bottle back after she took a shot from it.

Alaric laughed. "Yeah and I told you I'd use it against you."

"Damn you. Sorry I killed you. Twice."

The three of them shared a laugh. "So I have to actually die to get a real apology out of you." Out of the corner of his eye, something glinted. He caught sight of the ring on Nova's finger and smiled weakly. "Tell me at least that isn't from Klaus."

She smiled and started to laugh a little, playing with the ring on her ringer. She looked to Damon. "No, definitely not Klaus."

"Shot to celebrate?" He offered Alaric.

"Actually, I've been thinking about cutting back."

They fell into a silence and a tear rolled down Ric's cheek. Damon took a large shot from the bottle. "Yeah," he muttered. "This stuff will kill ya…"

A second tear fell down Alaric's cheek and he took the bottle and a long swig before handing it to Nova who did the same.

Damon and Nova only left when Alaric stopped breathing. Damon took the last sip from the bottle of whisky and set it down as he stood. He offered his hand to Nova who took it and stood, following him out of the tomb. They walked in silence, hands held tightly, until they saw Bonnie. Nova looked up and saw the full moon; she tugged on Damon's sleeve. Bonnie kept walking mindlessly.

"Hey, Bonnie...What, are you sleepwalking or something? Bonnie?" He called after her.

She turned finally and used her magic to harm them. Damon fell first to his knees from the throbbing in his head. Nova resisted as best as she could, making it a little closer to Bonnie. The witch tried harder and subdued them both to the ground. When they finally came to they knew right away what happened.


	21. If You're Not with My Team

21: You Need to Back Up If You're Not with My Team.

"We have a problem."

Stefan stared at his brother and Nova on the Gilbert's porch. "Whatever it is can wait."

"No," Nova stretched, biting her thumb nail. "No, it really can't."

He looked between the two of them warily before sighing and stepping aside to let them through. "What could possibly be so catastrophic?"

"Alaric turned," Damon blurted out quickly and tactlessly.

Behind him, Nova facepalmed. "Way to be blunt about it," she muttered.

They made it to the kitchen when Stefan whipped around with wide eyes. "What do you mean he turned? I thought you were standing guard!"

"The witches had taken Bonnie," the Romanian explained calmly. "They made her give him her blood to complete transition."

"Fuck," the younger Salvatore groaned. "Where's Bonnie now?"

"By time we came to Alaric was gone," she continued. "Bonnie was left in a heap on the floor. I gave her my blood and got her home to clean up."

"And the stake?" came the small voice of Elena in the doorway.

"Oh, you mean the white oak one?" Damon retorted. "The one that can kill an Original and wipe out an entire line of vampires? We don't know."

Nova punched him in the chest and Elena darted back off, answering her phone as she ventured upstairs. The doorbell sounded from the front door, going ignored by the three arguing mildly in the kitchen. When the bell turned into a loud knock Jeremy came up from the back of the house to answer it. He frowned when he looked at Klaus on the opposite side. Stefan walked up as calmly as he could behind Jeremy, not taking his eyes off of the Original.

"Why don't you go upstairs and check on Elena, Jer?" He suggested with a pat on the teenager's shoulder. With a snarl the young Gilbert obeyed. "What are you doing here, Klaus?"

"Hm, poor lad. Loses one questionable father figure only to be replaced by the likes of the two of you." Klaus snickered.

"Actually," Nova dramatically shoved Stefan aside, "Alaric asked _me_ to care for the Gilbert siblings." She smirked up at him with pride. "So what dare I ask brings this unpleasantry?"

They swore they saw his eye twitch. It only made her feel more triumphant. "Oh, I know all about my mother's invulnerable little creation and that's why I'm here." He forced his lips into a smirk. "I'm leaving town, just need to pick up a few road trip necessities. Spare tire, flashlight, doppelgänger."

Nova smiled up at him with poison, leaning on the doorframe tauntingly. "Can't help you there, sorry, _mate._ " She winked and slammed the door on his face.

Jeremy's feet came bounding down the wood stairs frantically. "Elena is gone!"

She let herself fall forward enough to slam her forehead onto the door. "You've got to be fucking kidding me right now." She whirled around directly at Stefan, making him jump back a little. "How the hell are you in a relationship with this?! The girl needs a damn leash!" Something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention; Klaus was on the front lawn pacing back and forth with a thick newspaper in his hand. She let out a loud groan as she stared at him. "Today is not going to be a good day."

"Klaus wants in," Damon said as he also noticed the pacing hybrid. "We have to keep him out."

"Hit the deck!" Nova screamed suddenly, diving for the only human in the room she was told to protect. Just after she swiped Jeremy away did the wad of paper come whipping through the glass window with massive strength. "You alright, kid?" She started checking him for injuries.

"I'm fine," he swatted her away. "Can you pitch better than that?"

She grinned toothily, her fangs peeking out over her bottom teeth. "I may have pitched for some softball teams in my time under an alias or two."

"So can you throw a knife?"

She laughed a little and gave him a fist bump. "You're just out to retaliate against the slime. I like you. What have you got?"

When she crept back into the living room she hushed the Salvatore brothers and peeked quick to see if Klaus was still there. He was tossing a soccer ball between his hands. He caught a glimpse of the red glinting off of her raven hair and flung the ball into the house with wrath. It exploded against the wall with the force. Nova jumped up before he could rearm himself and hurled a butcher's knife at him. The knife rammed itself deep into his ribs, all the way to the handle and even that started to go into his flesh. He dropped to one knee from the sudden pain and the blade tore open his lung. He looked up and met eyes with her emerald. His eyes flashed gold with pure rage and he ripped the knife out of himself, healing quickly. As he stomped over to a neighbor's white picket fence, Nova squeaked and dashed off out of sight.

"What the hell are you doing?" Damon stood and chastised her. Something fearful crept up his spine and he jumped back a few feet just before a chunk of the fence pegged him. "Missed me!"

"Good job, dumb-dumb," Nova rolled her eyes. "At least I hit him."

"I think you're probably going to want to let me in!" Klaus shouted from outside.

"Elena's car is gone," Stefan shook his head, sneaking back in from the kitchen. His phone started to ring and they all looked at the caller ID; Alaric.

Outside Klaus was arming himself with a propane tank and torch, having had enough. The door ripped open suddenly and he was face to face with Nova. "Put it out." She told him, glancing down at the fire.

"Come outside and make me."

"Elena is gone," she spoke as calmly as she could. "Alaric has her and Caroline at the school. He'll kill them both unless you turn yourself over to him."

Begrudgingly, he dropped the propane tank. Ignoring the whisper-shouts of the brothers inside, Nova hesitantly stepped foot onto the porch, past the safety of the barrier. He let the torch drop as well. "Now, I know you're not asking me to walk into a certain death."

"I really wish we could. But unfortunately, if Alaric kills you there's a one in four chance that we die too."

"Okay, how about Damon sneaks in and distracts Alaric, while Stefan grabs Elena and carries her to safety?"

She sweatdropped, her lips twitching with irritation. "That walks Damon to his certain death and leaves you and I nowhere to be found."

Klaus smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against one of the rails. "That's the point, luv."

"Pull the stick out of your ass, Klaus, it's not happening."

"I might have an idea." They turned and saw Bonnie walking up. "My mom used a desiccation spell on Mikael that immobilized him for over 15 years. If I can get it, I might be able to use it on Alaric."

He frowned. "If and might? Your words inspire such confidence."

"I'll get it. But even with the spell, we'll need a lot of vampire muscle to take him down. Including yours."

He turned, looking back at Nova; the Salvatores were in the doorway. "Just so we're clear, the sun sets in about eight hours. If we don't succeed before then, Elena will be dead, I'll be gone, and the rest of you will be left to fend for yourselves."

Nova rolled her eyes. "Good thing you're no motivational speaker."

* * *

Stefan, Nova, and Klaus stalked the dimly lit halls of Mystic Falls High as quietly has possible. Stefan was surprised her combat boots didn't sound louder against the linoleum. She had taken the lead to begin with, her footfalls growing faster when she started to pick up the sounds of the girls.

"Abby is there," the younger Salvatore spoke moreso to Nova.

She nodded and continued on without stopping. "I'm glad she's alright," she muttered.

"Good." Klaus commented. "Perhaps this plan won't be an epic failure after all. You know, if this does go off and we drop the history teacher in the Atlantic, I'm still leaving with Elena."

The ravenette stopped abruptly, forcing the two males to also stop. "Like fuck you are," she spat coldly, spinning around on her heels. Her dark hair whirled with her, emerald eyes blazing with fire. "Mystic Falls is Elena's home. She was born here and she will see whatever life she wants here and you sure as hell are not going to be the one to change or influence that."

He started to laugh at her. "That would not only require you to also stay in this miserable little town _and_ keep her very much alive and well."

She smirked up at him. "I know." His expression changed quickly. "I've already got a home built near the old Salvatore property. What can I say, I always loved the area when I used to live there." He was snarling. "And I've just always wanted to plan a Mystic Falls wedding." She winked and flipped him the bird with her right hand before taking back off down the hall.

Klaus looked to Stefan, absolutely seething on the inside. He assumed the young brother had intent to marry the doppelganger. Out of his sight and with the biggest grin as she walked down the halls Nova spun her own engagement ring around her slender finger.

"Look at this; one big, happy family."

Nova rolled her eyes behind Klaus' back, tapping her foot impatiently. She could have found the girls by now on her own. Bonnie had ignored his comment, remotely thankful the three showed up when they did. She held up a vial of red. "Drink this. It's my blood. It bridges us all together so that when I stop Jeremy's heart, you'll have the power to stop Alaric's. You need to make a physical connection to his bloodstream; a vein, artery, something connected to his heart."

Damon met eyes with Nova first who shrugged. He returned the shrug and took the first sip, passing it to his brother. "If one of us gets a clean shot, take it, the other two: hold him down." He spoke before taking his sip.

Klaus looked down at the vial hesitantly. "Before we all walk through these doors, let's get on the same page, shall we? I was the one who created your vampire bloodline, therefore I am responsible for your lives and Tyler's life, Caroline's life, and of course, Abby's life, should anything go wrong."

"Or you're just lying to save your ass." Damon rolled his eyes.

"I'm not lying. But go ahead, call my bluff, let the teacher kill me. You'll all be dead soon thereafter." He took his sip.

Nova let out an annoyed groan and swiped the vial from his hand, finishing what was left. As she tipped the vial back like a shot, the light glinted off of the stones of her ring and caught Klaus' attention. His eyes widened with anger slowly flooding him. Stefan noticed immediately and spoke quickly. "Let's just get this over with, shall we?" Nova snickered and dashed out the door without a second thought.

She jogged through the halls listening for the girls intently. Elena's voice started getting more confident, Alaric's more angered. Glass broke and Caroline was fleeing; Nova was just on the other side of the hall. She skid around a corner and saw Alaric's back. "Not so fast," he caught Elena before she could escape.

"How about this fast?" Nova shouted before tackling Alaric to the floor. She landed a blow to his cheek before he flung her off into some lockers. As her boots hit the floor she saw Stefan run in. He pushed Elena on and out of the way just for Alaric to mercilessly snap his neck. Nova cracked her neck and charged, jumping on his back.

Alaric tossed her around for a minute, struggling to get her off. Finally he pried her free, flinging her towards another set of lockers. The crash of the metal never came, however. She opened her eyes, grinning up at her blue eyed savior as he set her down on her feet. Damon smirked down at her. "Let's do this."

They ran at him together, each of them taking hold of one of his arms. He thrashed against them until Klaus was behind him with his hand in Alaric's chest. The three of them held him there until he started to force Klaus' hand out of his chest even against the two ravenettes. Alaric threw Damon off first into a classroom. He tossed Nova to the floor and Klaus against the lockers, stake in hand. Nova started to get up slowly and caught sight of Damon who gave her a nod. Sometimes she despised the speed she was gifted with.

She charged and knocked the stake out of his hand. Before anyone of them could make a move, Elena was before them all with a knife at her throat. Nova inwardly groaned. "Let them go or I'll kill myself."

"Seriously?" The raven haired Moroi groaned.

"Put it down, Elena," Alaric urged.

"Why? Because you still need me alive? There's a reason why Esther used me to make you, isn't there? She didn't want you to be immortal, so she tied your life to a human one. Mine. That way you have only one life span to kill all vampires and then you'll be gone. So, when I die, you die too. That's it, it has to be!"

Nova let out a low whistle, looking between them both. "Oh shit. Plot twist."

"You're wrong," he lied.

"Am I?" Elena pressed the blade against her skin.

"Stop!" Alaric shouted, taking a step away from Klaus and Nova. "Stop! Stop! Stop!"

Klaus looked around at them all, quickly calculating. With Alaric frantic, he grabbed the hunter by the back of the neck and threw him into the lockers as he did to Nova. By time Damon had gotten out of the mess of desks he was thrown in, Klaus had made off with both girls.

* * *

Elena started to come to slowly, the darkness taking too long to fade and still lingering. She was light headed and started to move around, finding it oddly difficult. "Be careful," a strange woman spoke. "Moving only makes it hurt more."

She lolled her head and watched her blood leaving her body through a tube and into bags. Another loll and she saw Nova out cold at her side and positively pale. "I'm draining you of all your blood," Klaus told her arrogantly. He appeared in her sight at Nova's sight, brushing some of her hair out of her face. "I genuinely wish vervain would work on her so I've had to go about this the long and hard way for her as well. I'll find what anomaly resides in her blood eventually with plenty to test." He tapped the tubes attached to the raven haired vampire as well.

"Elena?"

She gained more control and looked over to find Tyler holding a box of Klaus' things. Her dark eyes were pleading. "Tyler, please help us!"

"He can't." Klaus smirked. "He needs to go fetch me more empty blood bags. About three liters' worth, please Tyler."

"Tyler," Elena begged. "Please. Get Stefan, or Damon. Please."

"No," the hybrid's smirk vanished as he stood. "Tyler, get the bags."

Hesitantly, Tyler walked away. Elena looked up at Klaus with hatred. "Whatever you do to Nova, Damon will return to you tenfold."

He laughed and started to walk past her. "If Alaric doesn't kill Damon first, it would bring me no greater pleasure and joy."

She heard his footsteps exit the room and she started to fight against her restraints and hop closer to Nova. "Come on, Nova, you've got to wake up!" She pleaded, desperately fighting against the lightheadedness. A new set of footfalls came running towards the room and behind her her restraints were tugged at. "Tyler?" She smiled with hope.

"Shh," he told her. "Nova needs to wake up, we don't have a lot of time."

"So much for that sire bond."

 _So much for that time,_ Elena could hear the ravenette's sarcasm in her own mind. As the two hybrids started to fight, a small groan came from Nova's lips. "Nova!" Elena whispered with hope as she tugged at her loosening restraints. "Nova wake up!"

Her head was _throbbing_. Slowly, her eyes pried open, emerald dully shimmering to life. She leaned her head back to get her hair out of her face and watched as Elena's chair was knocked over and the brunette hit her head hard on the floor. She groaned, ignoring Tyler and Klaus, and rolled her head around. She pulled at the ropes binding her while Tyler got the upper hand on Klaus. She blinked a few times to clear her eyes and ripped each of her ankles free from the ropes tying them. With one harsh snap she ripped the rope binding her wrists and dropped to the floor beside Elena as the Salvatore brothers ran in.

"Come on, Elena," she muttered, the room still spinning around her. She hastily tore the IV from her arm. The brunette was still breathing but barely; her IV had already been torn out of her arm. Nova looked down at her own arm and found it still bleeding because of all that she had already lost. "If I do this," she spoke quietly, completely oblivious to the fight going on behind her, "then you can't do something stupid like die, understand? You can't-" She shook her head. "You wouldn't like it. So just take this and live you idiot." She used the wall for support as she forced some of her blood into Elena's mouth.

After a minute the girl's eyes fluttered open. The rest of the noise in the room had silenced and the two girls looked weakly over at the scene. The desiccation spell had worked on Klaus.

* * *

"Nova, I swear, I'm alright," Elena assured for what was likely the hundredth time with a smile. "Honestly," she laughed a little, "you look worse than I feel."

The ravenette jumped over to Elena's full length mirror on the door; her face scrunched up at what she saw reflecting back at her. Her hair was a chaotic, knotted mess with dried blood, her jeans were scuffed and ripped, dirt was on her face and under her hails, she was disgusted. "Play dirty, get dirty," she muttered begrudgingly.

Elena offered a warm smile in the back of the reflection. "Would you maybe want to shower and stay the night?"

She blinked a few times and turned to look at the brunette. "Like...like a sleepover…?"

"Hell yes!" Came Caroline, busting into the room. "And there's alcohol. You go take a shower and we'll find you clothes." She hesitated, and the other two girls shoved her towards the bathroom.

Nova sighed and caught sight of her filthy reflection again. She rolled her eyes and peeled the dirty shirt over her head. Something red glinted against the light; Zina Vasile's bracelet. "I don't remember putting that on," she muttered, staring at the bracelet on her wrist. "Alright, Zina, show me what you've got I guess." She shrugged and continued to strip, turning the water on nice and hot.

She hummed contently as the water rinsed the blood and dirt from her hair. She had to admit, at least Elena had good products for hair. For a little while, while she felt the warmth of the water on her cool skin, she felt entirely at peace. It was easy to ignore the blood and dirt rinsing off of her. When she was done she shut off the water and found a towel waiting for her. She wrapped herself up and stepped out; a set of cute pajamas were sitting on the counter.

"Are those…" She snickered, looking at the shorts, "penguins? Ah, fuck, that's actually cute." She smiled and twirled the ring on her finger.

* * *

Finally dressed and heading down the stairs Nova heard people talking. Elena smiled at her first when she made it to the kitchen. Caroline stood with her hands on her hips. "What the hell is that you've done to your hair?"

She jumped back a little and twirled the loose braid she managed nervously. She looked away with a pout. "Damon usually does my braids…"

"Does he paint your toenails too?" Tyler laughed.

Caroline pulled the ravenette over and sat her in a chair to fix the pitiful braid. Nova shrugged at Tyler's comment. "I had to break his nose to make him but then I painted his while he slept."

Everyone started to laugh, bringing a smile to Nova's face. When Caroline was done, her hair was put into two French braids. For hours they all talked and laughed, grateful Klaus had finally been taken care of. At one point Elena raised her shot glass with a smile. "To a Klaus free life," she saluted. Everyone joined her in raising their glasses. "And to all of you. My family."

Nova's cheeks turned pink, realizing the brunette was also even looking at her as if to confirm that she really was included in that. She let out a sweet laugh, her ring shimmering against the light as she tipped back the shot.

Slowly but surely everyone safely made their way home, leaving only the Gilberts and Nova. After cleaning up the kitchen the two girls headed upstairs where Jeremy was painting Alaric's old room. "You all really have made some memories in this town," the ravenette smiled.

Elena looked at her, eyes bright. "I know you've got plenty too. Were you planning on sticking around and making more…?"

Nova looked at the Gilbert home and all their family photos strung up on the walls with a light in her emerald eyes. Elena didn't miss the way she twirled the ring. "I didn't want to ask her while she was pounding back shot after shot, but I've heard Caroline is the party planner of the town…" She shifted shyly. "Do you think she'd like to do a Mystic Falls wedding?"

The door to Alaric's room open and Jeremy smiled at the two of them. He had a smudge of white paint on his face. "I think it's her dream job. I'm gonna shower and get some sleep. Goodnight, guys."

The girls said their goodnights and walked into the room. Elena heaved a heavy sigh. "I hate this room." She picked up a brush and started finishing the window.

"Reasonable," Nova mused, grabbing a brush and sitting on the floor to work on the baseboards.

"Maybe Alaric should just kill all the vampires and put an end to all of this. But then that means that Caroline dies and Bonnie loses her mom, the Mayor loses her son, and I lose Stefan and Damon and you. So, if it makes me the bad guy for wanting to keep those people alive, then fine, I'll be the bad guy."

The ravenette smiled softly as she focused on painting. "Alaric never wanted any of this. If I've learned anything from what I've seen in my life it's that there is always a way out. There's always a second road to take to get somewhere. Sometimes a third, a fourth, a fifth." She shrugged. "We run the risk of Alaric deciding he doesn't want to live anymore and killing you as his way out. There's always another way."

"What if there isn't…?" Elena asked in a small voice.

Nova turned to reassure her and found the girl clutching her head in pain. The paintbrush slipped from her hand, crashing and splattering to the floor. She cried out and Nova smelled blood. Elena started to fall forward; she rushed forward, dropping her own paintbrush to catch her. A drop of blood came from the brunette's nose once darkness had taken her.

"Jeremy!" The vampire screamed. She started to panic; how long had it been since she gave Elena her blood at Klaus' mansion? What time was it? Was it out of her system? Was it safe to give her more? Or would she die and turn anyways? " _Jeremy!_ " She stared down at the unconscious brunette helplessly.

* * *

 **A/N:** One more chapter of season 3! Then we jump into the second arc of the story (which I have yet to come up with a cool name for...) and season 4! xoxo


	22. Things Get So Deep Here in the Darkness

22: Things Get So Deep Here in the Darkness.

"Little Gilbert?"

Nova sighed, exhaling smoke from a cigarette outside of the hospital. "No, Damon, it's me. I'm using Jeremy's phone; haven't had time to get a new one."

Damon could tell from the tone of her voice that something was wrong. "What's going on, _dolcezza?_ "

"It's Elena...she…" She shook her head and took a breath. "We were working on Alaric's room after everyone left and she looked like she was getting a migraine but her nose started to bleed and she collapsed...I grabbed her before she could hit another floor." Both brothers were dangerously quiet on the other end. Nova took a shaky drag of her cigarette, staring up at the sky with tired, red eyes. "I gave her my blood earlier when she hit her head because of Klaus. I was too scared to do it again and called for Jeremy."

"It's okay, Nova," Stefan assured her. "Where are you all now? What happened?"

"Jeremy called 911; we're at the hospital now." Another long drag.

"Every remaining Original is gonna want Elena dead to stop Alaric. She's a sitting duck in there." Damon spoke.

"I don't give a fuck," she snapped back, finishing off her cigarette and flicking it in the butt dumpster. Her voice was shaking, eyes burning with tears. "She needed medical attention. She needed a human doctor."

"Not when there's a parade of vampires at her disposal!"

"Especially because of that, you ass! She doesn't want to turn. Ever. And I can respect that. I'm not going to risk giving her my blood when she runs the risk of dying with it in her system and she fucking would have!" She lit up another cigarette and took a breath. "Dr. Fell said when she hit her head earlier on the corner it caused some tearing and bruising and what happened tonight was a small hemorrhage. If we ignored it and I gave her my blood it would have sealed the tears but not been enough right away to make the bruising go away. Over maybe hours it would have ruptured and killed her with vampire blood in her system. So working alongside human medicine I did offer my blood and it's working well. Dr. Fell wants to keep her for observation and she can observe my blood getting the fuck out of her system safely."

Damon sighed. "Alright, alright, I get it. But you can personally observe and watch her from the safety of the Gilbert house where the Originals can't touch her. We'll have Meredith come look at her in the morning. Just get her home, please."

She put out the cigarette halfway, nodding as if he could see. "Okay, fine. I guess we'll meet you there then."

* * *

"Couch," Caroline commanded. Even Nova rolled her eyes as she helped the brunette onto the couch.

"I'm fine. I just...I want something to eat first." Elena sighed.

"We're on it, as soon as we make sure no one is lurking in the closets." Tyler grinned and dashed upstairs with the blonde.

"Is this really necessary?" The brunette complained when Nova threw a throw blanket onto her.

Nova shrugged. "Doctor says rest, you rest. We're not going to risk in the slightest bit, Elena. Do you want some tea, maybe some whiskey? Both will help you sleep." She chuckled and sat in an arm chair across from her. They were both quiet for a moment before Nova spoke again. "I'm sorry if I'm being strangely smothering."

Elena smiled softly. "No, it's-it's nice. Kind of like an older sister."

She shifted in the chair, twirling the ring on her finger. Elena enjoyed seeing her doing things like that; sometimes she would forget Nova was a vampire. "Well, I might be something close to that provided we live long enough to have a wedding." She smiled softly. "Uh, I was actually thinking," she rubbed the back of her neck and shifted again. "I mean, I know I've tried to kill, maim, or seriously injure you on more than one occasion," the both laughed a little, "but aside from Damon and Lethia I don't actually have any friends or family…" Her face twitched with sadness as she heard her own words. "Lethia is obviously going to be my Maid of Honor, but would you maybe want to be my bridesmaid…?"

"I'd actually really like that."

The ravenette smiled bright, her emerald eyes dancing with joy. She laughed, moreso at herself for being so human. "I'm thinking tea _with_ whiskey."

Eventually, and with a little bit of whiskey tea, Elena fell asleep on the couch. Nova told Caroline and Tyler she would stay and take care of Elena. While the brunette slept she sat in the chair with Elena's laptop off the coffee table. She looked into what she could find about the Vasiles through the internet, but could only find back to the 1500s and that was thanks to Katerina Petrova. Frustrated, she set the laptop back on the table and grabbed her backpack off the floor.

Nova shuffled around the black and grey bag until she took out an old, emerald stained leather journal. She curled back up on the chair with the laptop and flipped through the pages until she found one in particular. She scanned over the chicken scratched words and typed something in the search bar. The screen turned to a dark version and asked for a username and pass-code. Nova typed something else she read off the journal page and it granted her access to the dark web. "Thanks for always being a geek, Thea," she smiled and typed.

The earliest record of a Vasile was nearing 1000 years prior. There were murmurs of the family earlier than that, but no real proof. Estimated 1000 years ago Daciana Vasile got onto a Viking ship that landed in America. She was spotted a couple of different places before staying in a (what became) Virginia village for a couple of years. Following that she was dead by animal attack. Nova rolled her eyes. "Yeah like that's not obvious or anything."

She pinched the bridge of her nose and looked at Zina's bracelet on her wrist. Curiously, she typed the name in. She waited, and waited, but nothing was loading. After almost ten minutes, something came up - a death certificate, and stolen item report. Zina met with a tragic end in 1860, her heart being torn from her chest. Some thought it might have been the early work of Jack the Ripper. Her identity was only confirmed by the gold and ruby bracelet she wore engraved with a name - Zina Vasile. They didn't believe such a raggedy girl could own such an expensive bracelet but at least it gave her a name. Before they could put her in the ground her bracelet went missing. Nova's mouth was slightly agape. She licked her lips and promptly exited out of the dark web, deciding she didn't need to know anymore.

Elena started to stir as the ravenette set the laptop back down. "Where is everyone?"

"Tyler and Caroline got a call from their moms; I told them I would stay here with you." She smiled softly. "Seems like for once you might have gotten a peaceful sleep."

"I did," the brunette also smiled. "I dreamed of my sophomore year." She then caught sight of the leather journal in her companion's lap. "You keep a journal?"

Nova immediately looked down and saw the book. "Yeah, uhm," she thumbed over the dark green leather, "I stole it before sneaking onto the ship to America. I figured if anything happened to me that someone would find it and always know what happened to Nova Vasile." She laughed dryly. "When I made it to America I decided I'd continue; the memories would be too precious to ever forget." A floorboard creaked quietly enough where only Nova noticed. "Hello, Matt."

Elena spun around and Matt walked into the living room. "Your hearing is that good?"

"Better than average," she smiled softly, slipping her journal back into her bag.

"You know, I was thinking...wouldn't it be smarter if we just got you the hell out of town?" He looked at Elena, who made a face.

"And do what? Go on the run for the rest of my life? No thank you." She stood up, setting the blanket back on the couch. "And I'm done with the couch." She walked upstairs.

Nova sighed. "Mystic Falls is her home, Matt. You can't expect her to want to not only pack up and leave but never be able to have any kind of home ever again." The front door whipped open suddenly and she immediately held a finger to her lips, silencing Matt. She crept around until she found the oldest Mikaelson sibling in the entryway. "Elijah," she breathed stiffly.

He smiled calmly down at her. "Hello again, Miss Vasile."

* * *

The girls, Matt, and Elijah sat around the kitchen table with the Salvatore brothers on speaker from Elena's phone. "All we need is to take that stake away from him. Once he's been disarmed, the weapon in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the Earth and Alaric will follow us." Elijah offered.

"And you'll just run?" Stefan questioned through the phone.

"We've done it before. Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father. What's another half century while Elena is able to live out the rest of her natural life?"

Nova shook her head, arms crossed over her chest. "We've finally stopped him, Elijah. After everything that he's done to us, I can't just let you bring Klaus back."

"I agree," Elena nodded. "Who's to say he won't do anything?"

"I give you my word, ladies. I will not revive Klaus within yours nor even within your children's lifetimes, Elena. Perhaps that will finally teach him some manners."

"Why should she trust you?" Matt asked, referring to only Elena. "All you've done is screw her over." Nova's lips twitched a little.

"And for that, I am deeply ashamed. But know this, she could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight, so Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not."

"You want to place a bet on that for my opinion too?" the ravenette quipped.

"Not!" Damon shouted through the phone. "Hello? Did that concussion give you brain damage?! His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get!"

"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms. If you return Klaus' body to us, Elena will come to no harm. Do we have a deal?"

Nova's eye twitched. Yeah, sure, spare Elena and her children's lives. What about Nova's immortal one? The second Klaus was revived and heard her name he would hunt her down. "No!" Both she and Damon exclaimed. "No, no, _no!_ " The ravenette stood abruptly from her seat, nearly knocking it over. "I am so sorry to say this, but Elena is not the only one Klaus has his sights on. Her human life might be more important to preserve, but Damon and I are still also alive and the second Klaus Mikaelson is brought back he'll stop at nothing to end both of our lives or worse. Now I'm going to go on the porch and have a cigarette before I turn into 'or worse'." She stormed outside, slamming the door behind her.

"Listen to Nova!" Damon urged.

"Elena, it's up to you," Stefan sighed.

"Oh come on!"

Elena looked at the door Nova had slammed and back to Elijah. "Why do you want Klaus' body?"

"He is my brother. We remain together."

The moment Nova heard Elena agree to the deal she stomped out her cigarette, ignoring what was left, and took off. She got to her home near the old Salvatore property and went to the garage. Some tools lined the walls, and a car sat covered in the middle. She whipped the cloth covering off and to the floor, revealing a sleek and shining black car. She took a set of keys off a hook near the door and got into the driver's side, the emerald Firebird staring back at her on the hood. She slapped open the glove box and dug around until she took out an old flip phone. She made a sound of disgust and peeled out of the garage.

Her fingers furiously dialed Damon's number as fast as they could with one hand on the wheel and eyes desperately trying to stare at the road. She cursed loudly in Romanian when she got his voicemail and redialed. "It's your call, Elena," she mocked Stefan from earlier on the recording the second time. "You know what else was her call? Everything bad _ever._ Fucking answer me or I'm going to worry you've already been killed."

Nova dialed Damon for a third time before punching in Lethia's digits. The blonde picked up on the first ring. "At least someone fucking answers," the ravenette grumbled. "I need you to ping Damon's phone, he's not answering me."

"Rebekah actually just messaged and said she was going to go pick up Klaus?" Lethia exclaimed. "What the actual fuck is happening?"

She could hear her best friend typing furiously in the background. "Elijah came and offered Elena a deal. She took it. They get Klaus back and he won't be woken until after Elena's grandchildren are long dead."

"But you and Damon likely won't be and he'll go straight for you two as a consolation prize!"

"Yeah, I fucking know. Ask a bitch to be my bridesmaid and she turns around and gives me a couple hundred years of freedom." She rolled her eyes.

Lethia directed her quickly to the warehouse Damon was at. She confirmed that Bonnie had left with Stefan, and Rebekah was getting close. Nova skidded into the warehouse yard and tore her keys from the ignition; she tossed the phone on the seat and keys in her pocket before taking off running. She cursed because every single storage unit looked the exact same. She caught the scent of a familiar perfume and heard Rebekah calling for Damon.

"Rebekah!" She shouted, making her way through the various units. Just as she caught up to the blonde the two of them were pulled inside a unit, their mouths covered.

"Shut up," Damon whisper hissed at the two of them. They instantly quieted and Alaric walked around a few units over. He ushered both girls out back where Klaus' coffin was hidden. They started to make off with it, sneaking right by Alaric, and saw Nova's car. They got close and suddenly Rebekah was ripped away by her hair.

She landed with a bang against the emerald Firebird and Nova groaned loudly. "You want him? Fine. Don't touch my fucking car." She kicked Klaus' coffin away from all of them.

Damon ran at him first, knowing well that Nova's temper would have sent her instead. He nearly landed a punch but Alaric kicked him away and pulled the white oak stake from his jacket. Rebekah forced herself to her feet as Alaric made his way towards the casket. "No!" She shouted. "No, no, no!"

Nova stood tall and crossed her arms. She'd had enough of Klaus Mikaelson. Something in her screamed his death would bring her rebirth, not kill her or even any of the sire line. Part of her wouldn't have cared either way, so long as Klaus was dead-dead, but she could just feel that he needed to be stabbed with that stake. Whether he wasn't the creator of their sire line or something had been altered to protect them, Klaus Mikaelson needed must burn. Warrior's instinct.

"Do it." She spat coldly.

"What?" Damon coughed. "It could kill our entire sire line!"

"That's my bloody brother!" Rebekah argued.

Nova's eyes didn't leave Alaric's as she repeated herself. Something in the air went dark. " _Do it._ "

Alaric started to laugh. "Don't care about your sire line then?"

She shrugged. "I'm calling that asshole's bluff. I don't think he started our line." She half lied.

"You're willing to put not only your life, but Damon's, Stefan's, Tyler's, Caroline's, and everyone else's lives at risk?"

"Yep."

"Nova!" Damon yelled at her.

"Your funeral," Alaric shrugged. Damon held Rebekah back as the stake was thrust into her brother's chest and he burst into flames. He ripped the stake from Klaus and pointed it at Nova with a sick smirk. "Next."

Damon ran over as fast as he could and grabbed Nova around the waist before she could fight. Alaric darted towards them but as soon as Damon grabbed his girl it was like lightning; he sped over and grabbed Rebekah by the wrist, vanishing deeper into the vastness of warehouses. Somewhere deep within them all he broke the lock of one and hid with the girls inside, using his phone for light as he called Stefan. Rebekah didn't miss the way the Romanian girl stared up at him with admiration in her eyes that still shimmered even in the dark.

"Damon," the younger brother answered with a mild panic.

"Bad news brother," he spoke, locking eyes with Nova's emerald so his voice didn't shake. "Alaric staked Klaus. He's dead."

"I feel okay...do you feel anything? Is Nova with you?"

"Yeah," she answered, also not looking away from Damon's blue eyes. "I'm here. I called his bluff. I don't think we're part of his line."

"I don't feel anything," Damon confirmed. "She could be right."

"It took Sage about an hour before she started to feel sick." Stefan reminded them. "If Klaus wasn't lying, an hour is not enough time to get you guys all the way back to Mystic Falls."

Nova chuckled a little. "Can't say I don't mind not dying in Mystic Falls again."

Damon nodded slowly. "I guess you'll just have to say goodbye for all of us, won't you? Call me if you cough up a lung." He hung up, still staring at Nova. After a moment he looked away and glanced to Rebekah. "You seriously don't know which of you started our sire line?"

They could see the brokenness in the girl's face. "No, I really don't. I'm sorry." She looked between the two of them and just enough light reflected from his phone to hit Nova's ring. "I'm going to go watch the area so you two can have some peace." She gave Nova a warm hug, which the ravenette actually appreciated and reciprocated, and walked out of the storage unit. The last thing they saw was her blonde hair reflecting in the dim lights outside before the door closed again.

He took Nova's hand and they sat down with only his phone light between them. They interlaced their fingers and he thumbed over her ring. Neither of them said anything. A soft vibration buzzed on the ground; Damon's phone was dying. Their hands clutched a little tighter. His phone buzzed again, that time with a message coming up on the screen from Stefan. Matt had taken Elena to get out of town but was bringing her back and Rebekah was looking to kill her to kill Alaric.

Nova almost smiled. Rebekah was that loyal towards her love of Damon. Something dark inside of her said to let Rebekah kill Elena. Then Alaric would be dead, no Klaus, and no stupid doppelganger. To hell with the repercussions because she and Damon could be free. Elena had only chosen herself and her family when it came to returning Klaus.

They could hear him getting closer and stood; they wouldn't go down without a fight. "One last go?" He smiled down at her.

She squeezed his hand and returned the smile. "Let's not make it out last, _iubițel_. We are not giving up."

They grabbed hold of each other, Nova standing so high on her tiptoes she was practically on Damon's shoes, and kissed deeply. They savored each second they got, remembering every vivid detail. As soon as the door ripped open they parted, still clutching hands, and faced Alaric. " _Ce zici de Elena?_ " She muttered quickly.

Alaric was poised to attack and Damon saw he was planning on Nova first. He dove forward and started going blow for blow with the hunter. When Nova stepped out of the unit he got a moment of the upper hand and met her eyes. "Run, Nova," he told her. " _Correre!_ "

She knew what that meant. He answered her question finally. She wanted to hesitate, to argue, but she bit her bottom lip that had turned into a pained frown. Her fists balled so hard they turned white. A tear slipped down her cheek and she was gone. Damon smiled softly after her and Alaric regained control, punching him into the ground.

"Done fighting back?" He taunted.

Damon spit a mouthful of blood. "You're kind of invincible, Ric."

"Don't call me that." He kicked the raven haired vampire roughly in the face with his boot. "We're not friends. I'm gonna kill you, then I'm gonna find your girlfriend and do the same to her."

Damon chuckled. "We were friends. I was actually going to ask," he spat more blood, trying to stand, "if you'd be my best man." He tried to smile. "I'm trying to finally make an honest woman out of that 'girlfriend'."

Alaric's face twitched. For a brief second he hesitated as he stared at Damon. "Our friendship was part of the problem. It's what kept me weak. It's also why it took so long for the real me to break through and now I'm gonna break you."

* * *

Nova followed her instinct with tears whipping behind her all the way to Wickery Bridge. She skid to a stop and wiped the tears off her cheeks, quickly finding the bridge broken; a car had recently gone over. She ran to the edge and found blue paint on the remnants of wood. She looked down at the rushing water and her heart thumped a little faster. Stefan emerged from beneath the water with someone; Nova strained to see, gasping when she found it was only Matt. There was no sign of Elena.

"Oh Gods no," she breathed with realization, grabbing onto the bridge for some support. Elena had her blood in her system. She couldn't let the girl die, not like that.

Stefan looked up after dragging Matt to the bank and saw her. She kicked off her boots; he opened his mouth to call to her when she leaped over the edge. " _Nova!_ " He screamed.

The ravenette splashed into the river and fought for a moment to gather herself beneath the water. She shook her head and forced her eyes open, looking around until she saw the truck. She pushed and kicked her way through until she got to the vehicle, clawing her way to the passenger door where Elena was still strapped in and unconscious. Nova bit her lip, her lungs crying for air, and ripped the door off the hinges with all her might. Grabbing onto the seat belt she did the same and Elena came free, floating off the seat. She wrapped her arms around the brunette and kicked furiously towards the surface.

Stefan stared at the water right on the edge looking for any sign of either of the girls. His breathing was as fast and ragged as his heart. He ran his hands through his wet hair with panic when his eyes caught sight of a dark mess nearing the surface. Moonlight shimmered on the water, red dancing off of the darkness. He quickly dove back in and helped Nova pull Elena to the bank.

The girl's raven hair was dripping twice as bad as the rest of her, slopping around and sticking to her skin. She coughed up some water and crawled towards Elena when Stefan stopped her. "Nova, are you alright?" She coughed up some more water; he clapped her back to help her until it was all up. "I know you never learned to swim, Nova. That you're still terrified of water. What you just did was the most selfless thing I have ever witnessed."

She wiped her mouth with her sleeve which was just as wet and only frustrated her more. "Elena doesn't want to turn," she spoke softly, making her way to the brunette. "She has my blood in her system. I'd never burden someone with my lifestyle if they didn't want it." She looked up at him with contempt. "Why the fuck did you pull Matt first? It's his fault she was even on the bridge for Rebekah!"

Stefan looked down with guilt. "I was going to. She told me to save Matt first because I saved her instead of her parents last time she was in an accident."

Tears started to well back in Nova's eyes as she looked back down at the brunette. "She doesn't know…" She muttered, brushing Elena's wet hair off her face. "She doesn't know she has my blood in her system otherwise she wouldn't have."

They could both hear even the faintness of Matt's pulse and breathing still trying. Elena gave off no sign of life.

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Ce zici de Elena_ \- Romanian - What about Elena

 _Correre_ \- Italian - Run

 **A/N:** Soo this is it! I'd like to thank _Hansel Gretel_ for their first review, it literally made me so happy loll I figured I'd post the finale for the holidays, for anyone who cares LOL  
Part II (which I still have not named lmao) will be in the works, I'm currently plotting out chapter three based on episode three, _"The Rager"_. Plenty more drama to come now that Nova is going to have face her first real progeny! Yes, she turned Abby Bennett a few chapters ago, but neither of them acknowledge the fact. (Doesn't Abby die in the near future anyways? LOL) Nova already promised Alaric she would take care of Elena and Jeremy. Vampire or not, Nova will adhere to her promise however she seems fit.  
xoxo


	23. I Was Born to Do the Killing

_Part II: Like You._

23: I Was Born to Do the Killing.

" _It's been a long day without you, my friend  
_ _And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
_ _We've come a long way from where we began  
_ _Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
_ _When I see you again…"_

Nova sat at Elena's bedside for hours watching her go in and out of consciousness the same way she had in 1866. She brushed the brunette's hair back while she sang quietly, feeling the girl's temperature dropping slowly each time. She sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair, staring up at the white ceiling. She contemplated going outside for another cigarette; it had been at least four more hours since she last had when it was still dark. Her emerald eyes wafted to the window, glaring spitefully at the sun blaring back at her. She wouldn't leave Elena alone as she could wake at any given second, but she didn't want the poor girl waking up to the Salvatore brothers staring her down with panic. She sighed and decided to wait for the cigarette.

Sure enough, Elena launched up with a gasp. She looked around with confusion until she found Nova's emerald irises staring back at her calmly. "Nova…?"

The ravenette nodded and hopped onto the side of the bed, smoothing the girl's hair back down. "Yeah, I'm here. You've been in and out for hours now."

"Wh-what happened…?"

Nova let out another sigh and took her hands. Elena didn't jump even in the slightest at her icy hands; the warmth from her own hands was fading slowly so she barely noticed how cold Nova's were anymore. "You...you were in an accident." She bit her lip.

"Oh my God," she breathed, squeezing Nova's hands a little. "Matt...is he-?"

She nodded. "Matt is fine because of your selflessness. Stefan arrived first to the scene. I was just a hair too late this time…" She looked away. Elena could see the guilt in her eyes.

"Where are Stefan and Damon?"

"They're fine," Nova smiled softly. "They'd been hovering for hours. After my last cigarette break before dawn I told them both to pound dirt. I figured you could deal with some girl time because…" She took a breath, squeezing Elena's hands back. "Because when Jeremy and I brought you to the hospital before all this happened, your injuries were worse than anyone knew. Meredith Fell was able to alter my blood with human medicine to heal you." Elena's eyes widened. "When Rebekah left, she told Damon and I she was giving us our peace. The second we found out what she was doing he told me to run for you. By time I got there Stefan was pulling Matt from the water. I knew you didn't have a lot of time. I dove in off the bridge for you but it was too late...I'm sorry, Elena…"

She looked at Nova with the utmost sympathy and laced her fingers with the ravenette's. "You jumped off Wickery Bridge to save me because you saw Stefan pull Matt first?"

Tears pricked at Nova's eyes, making them sting while she tried to ignore it. "I knew you still had my blood in your system and that you didn't want to turn. Stefan told me you wanted to save Matt but I knew you wouldn't have if you knew my blood was still…" She trailed off, biting the inside of her cheek.

Elena looked at her, looking at all the fine details. Nova's hair was in disarray and flatter than usual, she could smell the scent of the river still on her clothes that had wrinkled their way dry, makeup smudged and faded on her tired eyes brimming with tears, she was even slouching. Elena had never seen her distraught, such a mess, so...so _human_. She smiled softly. "I was ready to die," she told Nova calmly. "I was supposed to die. I didn't want to turn."

"I know," the ravenette nearly bit through her cheek.

She shook her head, squeezing Nova's hands again. "Nova you dove into a river trying to save me. I can't even imagine how difficult that was for you. I promise you I won't waste the life you gave me, but there's got to be something we can at least try before I have to…" She took a breath. "Before I have to feed and turn or die."

They both got up, Nova throwing her messy hair into a ponytail while Elena talked to Jeremy in the hall. She could hear Elena telling him something about Bonnie and finding a way to fix this. _It's not broken…_ the ravenette thought painfully. There was no door number three, Nova knew that well. She just didn't have the heart to shatter her accidental progeny's. She slapped on her best smile and followed the brunette downstairs.

"I'm surprised there isn't a small parade waiting," Elena commented with a half smile.

"I requested the first 24 hours one on one with you," Nova admitted. Both of them glanced at a flickering bulb in the living room before continuing into the kitchen. "It's my fault you're in this mess and aside from regretfully Abby Bennett, I've never turned anyone. Never cared to. These first few hours are going to be the worst."

The brunette took a seat and watched the elder vampire shuffling about her kitchen to make lunch. She could still hear the lamp flickering but did her best to shake it off. "What - if you don't mind my asking - was it like for you..? When you woke up...in transition?"

She stopped abruptly at the sink, staring out the window. She heaved a heavy breath retrieving the unpleasant memories before resuming making the sandwiches. "One of the worst experiences of my life," she finally choked out. The thoughts hurt her head but she knew she owed it to Elena. "Everything was heightened, worse than what it should have been. I felt like I couldn't get a grip on reality and everyone's heartbeats sounded like mines about to fucking blow. I wanted nothing more than to just claw my brains out basically."

Elena blinked a few times with surprise. "What kept you going then…?"

"Oh come on, really?" Nova laughed a little. "I would force myself to focus on one set of things when I was feeling overwhelmed, something for each of my spiraling senses. You're gonna make me get really sappy and in depth with this, aren't you?"

She had started to grin. "It could be a life saving experience for me!"

"Yeah, sure," the ravenette chuckled. She leaned against the counter and closed her eyes, going back to 1866. At first everything overwhelmed her again just as it had that night, but that time she knew what she was looking for. Her heart still raced no matter how hard she tried to calm it. "We were in a small town not terribly far from Mystic Falls...they were having some kind of festival, people everywhere. Damon took my hand and didn't let go; his hand was still warmer than mine." She smiled softly. "So many people, so many voices…" She shook her head, the crowd growing louder. "He kept whispering my name, forcing me to pay more attention to that. The scents of the various foods started to make me nauseous and every human I was dragged by smelled like cake. I had to tear through all of that and focus on the scent of sweet, Virginia bourbon…"

* * *

[Flashback, 1866]

"Damon, I can't do this," Nova panicked, trying to break free and run.

He laughed a little and pulled her into a dark alleyway for a moment. "What is it you can't do, _dolcezza_?" He asked her sweetly, gently brushing some hair out of her face. "Are you afraid to complete transition or afraid that you'll massacre this whole little village?"

 _Either,_ she thought, forcing herself to take a breath. Her gums were starting to ache, throat feeling rough and dry. She had been arguing with herself since she woke up. Two years already Damon had been a vampire and he treated her no differently. He kept her safe, they did what they wanted. Besides, what if Ripper Stefan came back for another round? He could be in the very same town that they were, tearing apart the townspeople. Or they could do it and put the blame on him…

Oh Gods what was she even thinking anymore? Was that the vampire in her trying to come out? She had ran trying to evade the supernatural. She settled with an amazing human family. Everything was perfect for once in her life. She wasn't royalty anymore, she was just a sweet refuge in a small town. A sweet refuge Katherine Pierce ruined by default. Nova hadn't had the best relationship with Stefan, but Katherine tore them all apart.

Damon could see the rage boiling in her eyes. Her nails started to claw at the brick wall behind her, leaving deep scrapes in the brick. She was thinking about Stefan and Katherine, they were the only current two who could set her off so badly. He couldn't help but smirk; he wasn't ready to let go of Nova, he had no intent to. He promised Stefan an eternity of misery and he just dragged Nova into it unwillingly. If his own brother was willing to ruin everything then he'd be damned if he just watched his last and very best friend die. He wasn't sure there were enough humans on the Earth for him to murder in the event.

"Nova, Nova look at me." Slowly her emerald eyes focused on his ice blue ones. "There is no way out of it. We all know the drill. You feed or you die. There is no door number three. The only thing that's going to help is for you to feed and complete the transition."

She bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Finally the words slipped from her mouth. "I don't want to end up like Stefan...I don't want to be a Ripper...what I grew up with in Romania, Damon...I don't know how it'll affect me…"

"To Hell with that!" She jumped a little with surprise and he took her face gently in his hands, bending a little to be eye to eye. "Forget whatever you dealt with in Romania, you haven't been there in years. If your crap family is still breathing then we can go out there and kill them ourselves if you wanted! You and I have always been a team, right, Nova?" She nodded. "Just think of what we can accomplish when we're both vampires. I promise you that you will never be a Ripper, _dolcezza._ You're above that and more importantly, you're my girl. We might be monsters, but we'll never sink that low. So what do you say we make this festival a little more...spectacular?" He smirked.

One of the drunk villagers caught sight of them and cheered on "the happy couple". Nova's head lolled to the side to look at the man and her face started to change slowly. Damon leaned forward and whispered in her ear. " _Feed, Nova._ "

* * *

[Present]

Nova blinked a few times before realizing she was back in reality. Elena was staring intently at her. "So what happened? I mean, obviously you completed transition, but how? What happened?"

 _Those who were still alive in the morning awoke and found the majority of their loved ones completely exsanguinated,_ the ravenette thought darkly. "I grew a pair and fed, that's all that matters." She quickly turned and continued working on the sandwiches, finishing Elena's and sliding her the plate. "I've done a lot of things in my life you don't need to be burdened with because you're not going to do it."

Elena stared at the sandwich absentmindedly. "What if I do, though…?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't...I don't feel right, Nova. It's just you and me here and I can still smell human all over the house. And who the hell has not noticed that dying light bulb?!" The flickering was really getting to her. She finally whipped around out of the chair and crushed the bulb beneath the shade with her bare hand.

Nova started to laugh and bit into her sandwich. "Well that's normal, at least it was for me." She shrugged. "And you're my progeny, so it makes sense. I broke shit all the time, both accidental and purposeful. For the first couple years I didn't realize the strength I had."

"How'd you find out?" Elena questioned, returning to her seat and poking at the sandwich.

She grinned and rubbed the back of her head, swallowing the bite of food she had taken. "Uh, Damon and I actually got into a heated argument. I swung closed fisted and spun his head so far it snapped." She shrugged. Elena started to laugh and took a bite of the sandwich at last. She started to chew but Nova could see the disgust all over her face. "It's disgusting, right?"

"No, it's, um…"

"Elena, it's disgusting," Nova laughed. "I put mustard _and_ tomatoes on it. Your least favorite." She pulled the plate back and handed the brunette a napkin.

"Yeah, I'm gonna puke." She spit the food into the napkin and laughed a little. She sighed. "I never thought I'd be saying this, but I can't stop thinking about blood."

The ravenette nodded solemnly and wiped her lips with her own napkin. "Honestly? It doesn't get any easier. But in the time you have, no human food will taste good. Not until you feed. I tried so hard when we first arrived at the festival; I shoved my mouth full of any cakes, cupcakes, cookies, you name it I could find. Damon just laughed as I threw it all up." She smiled a little.

A frantic knock came from the back door and Stefan ran in. "I'm sorry to interrupt the time we gave you guys, but something's going on. I was on the phone with Caroline - she was leaving her mom's...something happened. This was after a text from Damon about him and Rebekah being attacked."

Nova's hand jumped to Elena's the second she saw the panic start in her brown eyes. Elena looked to her sire who had a deathly calm look in her blazing emerald eyes. Had her eyes always been so bright? Even in the face of all darkness her eyes still looked like literal emerald stones. She opened her mouth to speak when her grip on Elena's hand grew tighter. She looked to Stefan when the ravenette froze; both of them jumped when her emerald eyes ignited a golden amber. She was forced into a link with Lethia, but why?

Another knock came from the front door and Stefan put a finger to his lips to hush Elena. Nova's eyes closed and blinked a few times before she pat her progeny's hand a few times. Elena looked to her with wide, fearful eyes, but the ravenette nodded calmly. She mouthed a 'stay here' to her progeny and stood, brushing herself off and wiping her hands with the napkin. Stefan and Elena watched her demeanor completely change as she walked towards the door, slapping on her invisible crown. Stefan gave the brunette a kiss and followed Nova into the hall. The two gave each other a respectful nod before she opened the door and the hall filled with armed men and Pastor Young.

"It's alright," she offered, holding up her hands in defense and nudging Stefan to do the same. "We'll come peacefully."

A couple of the men holstered their guns and took out ropes. Nova could smell the vervain on them and gave the smallest, unnoticed wink to Stefan. He took the vervain better than anticipated from having been ingesting it slowly. He said nothing, knowing Nova was only faking the hurt she felt. Couldn't they see that it wasn't even singing her skin? His only hope was going to Nova Vasile and he hadn't particularly done anything in their lives to earn her protection.

* * *

"They're gone," Damon snarled, kicking around some of the mess that was left behind at the boarding house. "Whoever nailed Rebekah, took them too. Please tell me you have something. Anything."

Liz frowned sadly. "I can't. The Council locked Carol and me out of our offices. Files, computers, everything."

He ran his hands through his hair before flinging a cup of bourbon into the fireplace. "Dammit! Elena is midtransition and if it's anything like Nova's it's not going to be pretty. God there was no way they took Nova down, she went willingly. That's too dangerous. We need something, anything!"

"Damon, relax." Came Meredith before turning to the Sheriff. "When Caroline called to say she got away; did she know where they were planning to take her?"

Liz shook her head in defeat. "No. Just that she was in some van in the middle of nowhere and she managed to escape."

"Perfect." Damon rolled his eyes. "We've narrowed it down to nowhere."

The front door whipped open suddenly and the three turned to find Lethia panting, eyes flashing between gold and emerald. "I can find Nova," she panted, dragging herself in. Meredith forced her to sit down on a chair. "I can find all of them through our link."

"No," he argued. "Absolutely not."

The blonde laughed a little, irises still violently swapping between colors. She would get glimpses of a van, Stefan; she could hear Elena, the motor. "See that's the funny thing, you don't get much of a say right now." His eyes widened. "She's already forced the link open. It's just on me to open mine and in the meantime I'll be bombarded with bits and bobs of Nova-vision. Which, by the way, is way worse. It's like being on Jenny Craig at a freakin' barbecue buffet with a sweets bar." She licked her dry lips, nails scratching at the fabric of the chair. "I fucking made it here without ripping out anyone's heart like a cupcake." The two human women jumped. "I made it here so your dumb ass can get into my head with the link open and go find your damn woman so I can properly sleep this shit off and binge eat sweets when I fucking wake up!"

Liz opened her mouth to speak first but Damon held up a hand, silencing her. "Thea, you both know what happened the last time you did this."

She nodded quickly. "I'm well aware of the repercussions, Damon. I'd like to think we can finally handle it if we have to but I'm really hoping we don't. Let's do this. Please."

Begrudgingly he nodded and put his hands on the sides of her head. She took a breath before her head flew back, caught and held by Damon, and let out a violent scream as the gold in her eyes was consumed by emerald.

* * *

Elena was groggy as she came to. Her eyes focused and she realized she was locked in one of many cages. "I thought I killed you," Rebekah laughed at her from the opposite cage.

"Where am I?"

"They thought you were a vampire, so they stuck you in here with us."

"Where's Stefan?"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Elena," Stefan spoke from the cage beside hers, "I'm right here. Are you okay?"

"I didn't feed," she admitted. "Where's Nova?"

Rebekah laughed. "Ahh, I see what's going on here. You died with vampire blood in your system and you didn't feed and now you're locked up in here without a drop of human blood in sight. That is a problem. As for our lady Nova, she's beside me across from your little sweetheart. She's an incredible actress; I know the vervain doesn't hurt her."

Stefan sighed. "When we got separated from you, Nova was still pretending like the vervain ropes weakened her. She got a clear shot and tried to break out but they snapped her neck." He heard Elena gasp. "They put an extra couple locks on her cage and a vervain drip above her. You might be able to see her if you look. I haven't taken my eyes off of her."

"All that's going to do is tick her off when she wakes up because she'll be bloody damp," the blonde rolled her eyes. "Has anyone done the math or shall I? I'd say you've got less than three hours to feed before I get to watch you die all over again." She smirked.

Elena snarled and dragged herself to the front, desperately looking around until she found the mess of raven hair. "Has anyone done the math that she should be awake by now?" She retorted.

Stefan and Rebekah exchanged wary glances; they had both already thought about it for the last half hour or so.

* * *

[Flashback, 1938]

Lethia groaned as she came to, her head pounding. Something smelled positively foul. She heard Damon also barely conscious and mumbling for her or Nova. She dragged herself up and slapped the ravenette around gently until he was coherent enough. "Something's not right," she complained, shaking her head.

"Where's Nova?" Damon groaned, forcing himself to his feet. His vision was still blurry, the sunlight further hindering his sight, but he couldn't see any sign of her.

The blonde forced herself to her feet and nearly fell over, just barely caught by Damon. "There's something in here - a sigil, a hex bag-"

"An almost fully burnt patch of herbs?" He suggested, putting out the still burning incense. "What is this crap?"

Lethia gasped. "I don't remember the name but I know it's some nasty hoodoo the Moores use...it'll knock out a horse and ruin a bloodhound's scent trail. They've always been allies of the families with darker rituals like the Kross pack and-"

"And the Vasiles," he realized. "They took Nova. Dammit!" He whirled around in a fit of rage and punched a hole in the closest wall.

"I can't smell her at this point, but what if...what we try something else?"

"Like what?"

"Hm, goodness, I'm not sure. How about...oh let's see, the freaking link her deranged parents and those filthy Moores put on her and I?"

Damon made a face. "I don't like it, Lethia. We don't know what can come of that. It's bad enough the effect and toll it already takes on you both."

"Now just imagine if it was you two linked together, huh?" She put her hands on her hips. "The only way to find out is to try. And just to be sure," she sighed, "as soon as I connect the link, do your creepy vampire head games to be front row. I don't know if this will fry my brain or not so the second you're out of my head you go and get her, understand?"

* * *

[Present]

"Stefan," Elena groaned weakly. "I'm out of time. I need blood."

The younger brother started to panic, ignoring his own weakness from captivity. He shouted and banged on the cage door until a guard came in to tell him to shut up. "You want more vervain? Keep it down."

The brunette's head lolled to the side just enough to see Nova again, still unconscious and barely breathing on the floor. A tear rolled down her sickly pale cheek. "Nova…" Her voice cracked. "Please…"

The officer aimed his wooden bullet loaded gun at Stefan but the olive eyed Salvatore did not back down. He also frequently looked back at Nova in the small hope she would wake up and be able to do _something_. She'd never admit it but Rebekah sat against the wall adjacent to the ravenette's cell in an attempt to hear her vitals grow stronger when she was coming to. For hours she wondered if the girl was even alive. Stefan stared into the barrel of the gun when Nova's eyes snapped open suddenly, one bright emerald and one bright gold.

She leaped to her feet in one swift movement and kicked her cell door open. The three locks and thick chains flew off and clanged to the floor. The officer whirled around and looked at her, starting to shake. She could smell the fear dripping off of him. Bravely he took a shot, the bullet going deep into her left shoulder. Panic spread through him and his face; he took another shaky shot and got her between a couple of ribs on her right side. She smiled sinisterly, baring her fangs, and grabbed the man by his throat. Without a second thought she tore right in and tossed him to the side, licking her lips.

Stefan had backed into the furthest corner of his cell when he got a good look into her eyes. There was a darkness about them, the kind of darkness that would have turned her eyes black if not for her link with Lethia. Was this side of her caused by their link? In those eyes Stefan could see the hatred she alone had harbored for him for _years._ He saw malevolence, bloodlust, and not a shred of Nova. It was even more terrifying than no humanity Nova. She reached out with her blood dripping hand and took hold of the pitiful lock on Stefan's cage. He stared into her dual colored eyes like they were black holes just forcing him in, forcing him deeper into the darkness to hate himself.

Elena could smell the blood the second Nova tore into him. He landed not too far from her cell, just close enough for her to reach out. Warm blood was still pouring from the gaping holes in his jugular, practically screaming her name. Without allowing a second thought to cross her mind she reached out and got some blood on her fingers, bringing it to her mouth. Before Nova's hand could crush the lock on Stefan's cage, her eyes changed.

Nova blinked a few times and her irises returned to their normal emerald. She had zero idea what had transpired but she knew she had to just go. Her hand was on the lock to Stefan's cage and guard already dead. She considered that to be on track. With a swift yank she freed Stefan and Rebekah, nearly ripping the entire door off of Elena's cage. Nova noticed immediately that Elena had used the guard's blood to turn before she could die. She almost smirked with pride but it wasn't the time.

A noise gained both of their attentions and, with the color having returned to Elena's face and Nova freed, they both took off. Stefan and Rebekah both thought to themselves how strange that entire ordeal just was. Had Elena managed to keep up with Nova? She only just turned barely five minutes prior…

* * *

Deep in the woods on the outskirts of Mystic Falls was a deviant path that hikers knew not to take because it was unkempt and unsafe. The only creatures to stir around there were a few stray werewolves here and there. That particular night sixteen bodies of werewolves in their human forms sprawled out in the brush, flattening it to a small clearing. They all had gaping holes in their chests, hearts torn clean out.

Boots with freshly splattered blood on them stood in the middle, Lethia's long, lanky legs coming out of them. Her golden hair was a blood caked mess, clothes torn and bloody, hands and mouth still dripping with fresh blood. She stood in the circle of corpses with dual colored eyes glowing brightly, one amber and one emerald. There was a void in her glowing eyes, a void with unspeakable darkness inside.

The glow died down, her eyes returning to their normal amber. A tear slipped down her cheek and her eyelids fluttered, desperately trying not to close. Unconsciousness forced its way over and she fell to the ground unmoving.

* * *

"So, what," Matt started, glancing warily at Damon, "we just storm the place with zero weapons?"

Damon smirked and kept looking forward as they walked towards the farmhouse. "Nah, we don't need weapons." They stopped and looked at the porch and front door. "Just bait." Without hesitation or further warning his face changed and he bit harshly into Matt's jugular, letting him fall in front of the porch steps helplessly. "Yoo-hoo! Anybody home? Big, bad vampire out here!"

Pastor Young went right to the door, careful not to cross the threshold. "Let him go. The boy's innocent."

The ravenette rolled his eyes. "Well, that's the point. Give me Nova, Stefan and Elena, he's all yours." He shrugged and grabbed Matt back by the scruff of his shirt. "Come on, Pastor. You know I'll kill him. I want to kill him."

"Go away! You are not invited in and I'm not coming out!"

A gunshot off suddenly and a wooden bullet landed deep in Damon's chest. Both he and Matt dropped to the ground bleeding for their own reasons. Two officers armed with wooden bullet guns came up to assess the situation. One jumped when he heard something in the woods nearby; the other told him to grow a pair. Damon could feel that the officer was right to be afraid, they were in danger. His eyes managed to look up to the sky and watch as a thick cloud covering most of the moon and its light dissipated into nothing. He could feel her, Nova. He could feel that fire, that star exploding. He started to laugh.

Matt groaned. "You sure you should be laughing right now?"

The latter officer pointed his gun directly at Damon he smirked at the barrel. "You idiots have way worse to deal with. My lady's had a really bad day." He winked. Matt's eyes widened.

It almost felt like winter was creeping in the way the air temperature just dropped. The frightened guard turned tail to run, forcing the one pointing his gun at Damon to look away. Two dark blurs sped out of the forest and both officers were nothing but a quick scream and bloody heap. Matt started to crawl back; it was difficult for him to differentiate between the two female shadows. His vision was going blurry from the bloodloss but Elena was quicker to wipe her mouth than Nova.

Damon had to admit that it was a sight to behold. Had he not spent the better portion of nearly two centuries with Nova Vasile it would have been more challenging for him as well but he could see Nova's even flattened and stressed waves to Elena's flat, straight hair. Nova's hips were also more defined, her eyes shimmered like stones in the moonlight, and she clearly enjoyed her kill. Blood dripped down her chin and neck to her chest; she only smiled and more blood dripped from her mouth.

Elena immediately ran over and tended to Matt's neck wound. Nova knelt down and kissed her fiance with bloodstained lips so he wouldn't pay attention as her nails shot into his bullet wound and dug out the bullet. She grinned and violently crushed the thing into tiny splinters. "Get everyone and get out of here. I'll meet you at home."

"What the hell are you planning on doing?"

"I have a couple of loose ends to tie up because if these people get ahold of my blood who knows what they can do with it. They know vervain doesn't hurt me now."

"Just forget it, Nova," Elena argued. "We need to get out of here while we can. The Pastor is on vervain anyways and you can't get into his house."

"Doesn't mean I can't get rid of evidence." She snapped back. "All of you get home, understood? Stefan and Rebekah are still in the barn. Go get them and get home. I won't be more than a half hour behind you. Go."

Begrudgingly they did leave. Nova waited until she could hear them at the barn and leaving. She picked up one of the dead officers' guns and sighed, cocking the gun. "All for the sake of a probably." She shook her head. With one final check to make sure they made it off the property in total she aimed the gun at her leg. She knew the second she shot off one round that the rest couldn't be slow to fire. She braced herself and pulled the trigger, letting a wood bullet go deep into her thigh. Quickly she shot off another into her abdomen, one in the shoulder, and for good measure, one that just narrowly missed her sternum.

She groaned in pain, though it didn't hurt nearly as bad as she thought it would. She had to poke around in her bullet holes to make them bleed more. "Am I fucking indestructible?" She complained as she dragged herself through the dirt and grass towards the farmhouse. "Do I need a Gods damn white oak stake? Fuck."

She could hear other voices inside. Oh how perfect, he had called a council meeting and they were trickling in. With only a couple of people having just pulled up, Pastor Young ran outside when he saw the ravenette on his porch steps. He could see the bullet wounds; vervain hadn't seemed to work enough on her. She was a curious little vamp and it caused him to let his guard down just enough to get too close. The second he bent down to see if she was still alive or not her hand shot out and grabbed his throat, forcing him to look at the sadistic look in her emerald eyes.

She grinned, showing him her fangs without her face changing. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."

* * *

Nova hummed, digging into a bowl of M&Ms with a bag of Reese's mini cups on top of it. She jumped onto her bed in her pajamas with her candy and a bottle of Coke on her nightstand. She turned the TV on, leaning back on the pillows and waiting for Damon to get out of the shower. As she flipped through the channels she thought of Lethia, having not heard from her yet. She knew better than to force their link open but she was sure if she didn't it'd risk Stefan or Elena's lives more than her own. Stefan was Damon's brother and Elena had been unwillingly made Nova's progeny. That, and she wouldn't just turn her back on her people like her parents did. She'd be a better leader than they ever were whether it was sitting on a throne or thwarting some evil plot in Mystic Falls.

One of the news stations popped up and Nova gave up on jumping channels. She put a handful of M&Ms in her mouth when a headline caught her attention; they were covering a massive fire at Pastor Young's farmhouse. A sickening grin spread slowly across her face as they spoke of the council members also killed in the explosion. The entire lot was ablaze from farmhouse to barn and all the grass in between. The flames danced in Nova's emerald eyes.

* * *

[Flashback; 1938]

Damon was coughing up blood, barely able to breathe. Nova sat tied to a metal chair with special bindings, screaming her fool head off. She tore at her restraints and the chair. The madder she got she started to bend the metal of the chair. The Moores kept chanting louder every time Damon tried to fight. He had found them, but severely underestimated who the hell the Moores evidently were.

Nova thrashed around in her chair when her head started to pound. Her eyes opened wide and started flashing between emerald and gold. A piercing scream came from her lips, fangs forcibly extending longer than usual. One of her eyes landed on gold and the other emerald. The Moores brought out a handful of wolves ready to be let loose on Damon. The metal started to bend and crack beneath Nova's grasp and a massive snarl was heard outside.

Nova broke her restraints and the chair and Lethia burst in in her wolf form, even one of her eyes emerald. Moores came at Nova one by one and one by one she tore into them. Lethia beat the wolves away from Damon, biting easily being so much larger into each of their chests and tearing out their hearts, swallowing them mercilessly. As the number of Moores went down quickly, Damon started to feel better but all he could do was watch as the two girls tore every last person to _shreds_.

* * *

 **A/N:** See? I made good on my word; I came back this time LOL I'm actually thoroughly enjoying where these next few chapters. It took me so long because the beginning of season four is sooo slow with Elena being all pathetic and shit lmao but shit gets real, real fast. I currently have all to episode 7 planned out and up to chapter 27 (episode 4) all written. I'm going to finish this gods damn story even if it kills me LOL

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan


	24. I've Got Blood on My Name

**A/N:** Gods I can be such a daft dimbo sometimes. Nearly 23 and I still can't count LOL  
I write all of this on Google docs (which, let me tell you, is not easy when there's so many damn pages) and misnumbered the chapters, completely skipping over 25. And here I was thinking I was further and making fantastic progress. Oops.  
Well, I've got two more chapters already written after this one and two more planned already after that. I'm back on track!

04x02: Memorial

* * *

24: I've Got Blood on My Name.

"You're making a big mistake."

Stefan rolled his eyes upon seeing his brother in his doorway and continued to pack. "No, I'm not if I can get Elena used to animal blood right out the gate."

Damon started to laugh, trying to hide it but unable to. "I'm sorry, you're reaching. And absolutely delusional."

"Maybe she'll be able to bypass all the things that we went through." He shrugged. "Maybe she actually has a shot at this."

"No, really Stefan. You're delusional. And wrong; just plain wrong. Stop packing already." He started to pull his brothers clothes back out of the bag. "She's been out with Nova all day. Like since the sun came up. I haven't seen her so prepared since the three days she subbed at an Elementary school."

Stefan wasn't sure which matter was more pertinent to address immediately. Both perplexed him for their own alarming reasons. "I'm choosing to ignore why Nova was ever in an Elementary school." Damon grinned. "What do you mean Elena's been with her that long? Nova can't teach her how to get through this."

Damon's face turned concerned and protective. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? It was Nova's blood that turned Elena. She's the one who has the first right to teach Elena. Afraid that Elena will actually enjoy being a vampire the right way?"

The younger brother rubbed his face warily, Nova's murderous dual colored eyes still haunting him. "Actually, yes, Damon. I am. Because I know what you and Nova have done through the decades. For fuck's sake she just murdered three people before coming back here."

"You think that's all?" the ravenette snickered.

"She won't be able to handle it if she hurts someone, Damon. Her compassion is her Achilles heel and everything is magnified right now."

"Nova's _everything_ has been magnified since 1866 even more than probably even the fucking Originals and you know that. Nova has always been special and you know what? She's actually a damn good teacher whether you're ten or a newbie vamp. If any of us can relate to what Elena's feeling right now, it's her own fucking sire."

Stefan sighed. "Damon listen to me for five fucking minutes, okay? At the ranch, they had to snap Nova's neck to keep her down when they realized a little bit of vervain wasn't cutting it. They left her under a vervain drip and she took _too long_ coming back."

"Where is this going?"

"When she came back, something was...not right. Her eyes," he shook his head. "One was gold but they were both dark and empty. She didn't even look like that with her humanity off. She killed the guard and was coming for me next before she just snapped out of it."

Damon backed down a little, something playing around in his icy eyes. "She purposely channeled Lethia so we could find the ranch. It's dangerous to each of them and-"

Stefan shook his head. "No, there's no way something like that would cause the look in her eyes I saw. She was going to kill me if she didn't come to out of nowhere unless that was Lethia closing the link."

He licked his lips. "Nova opened the link. She had to be the one to close it."

They were silent for a moment before Stefan spoke again. "I'm afraid Nova will take the wrong approach. That Elena will end up a monster like the three of us."

Damon stood there silently, staring out the large window and across town to the woods. Something wasn't sitting right with him. Without saying anything he walked back out of his brother's room.

* * *

Nova shrugged and picked a leaf out of Elena's hair as they walked out of the forest. "Hey, can't say I didn't lie - we tried Stefan's method first."

Elena was wiping her mouth with an emerald handkerchief her maker had given her. She laughed a little. "I've got to say that I'm surprised you really got into it. I didn't think you'd ever put your mouth anywhere an animal." She laughed again. "God that's not something that should have ever come out of my mouth."

Nova pulled a flask from her back pocket and took a swig, handing it to Elena. "Just really old bourbon, I promise." She grinned and the brunette did the same, handing the flask back. Nova laughed at her progeny's reaction to the liquor. " _Really_ old bourbon. Like I swiped this from Damon who swiped it out of Giuseppe's desk in 1863."

"You've had that same bourbon in their since 1863?!"

She nodded and took another swig before sliding it back into her pocket. "It's like my version of champagne; we've only ever sipped it as a celebration of something." She laughed, more so at herself when she realized something, and took the flask back out for another quick swig.

Elena laughed again. "Okay, what was that for?"

"I just put a couple of pieces together. Like why Damon finally took this from his desk to begin with. Gods he's always been such an ass!" She couldn't help but laugh. It had been so long since she could, let alone with another female who wasn't Lethia. "I brought it because either way we were celebrating whether you could drink Bambi blood or not and it was going to be an accomplishment. But let me tell you, I'm sticking to Bambi meat. Not blood." She made a face.

She giggled a little. "Hey, you tried for my sake. It means a lot to me, thank you, Nova."

The ravenette shrugged. "I figured you wouldn't like it. It's like ordering a pizza and still having to make it yourself. Besides, there's always hair in your food." She made a funnier disgusted face.

Elena smiled but it quickly turned to concern. "I'm just afraid, you know? I don't want to screw up and hurt someone...that's not me."

Nova smiled assuringly and put her arm around the brunette's shoulders. "That's what I'm here for, kid. I teach you, you screw up, I fix the mess, we try again a different way. There's so many different teaching methods; everyone learns differently. We just have to find the right way for you."

"Okay now you just sound like one of my teachers," Elena laughed a little.

Nova shrugged. "I mean, I subbed for a few days in a fourth grade class. Guess it just always stuck."

She stopped walking abruptly, forcing the ravenette to as well. "Hold the phone, _what?_ You did _what?_ When?"

Nova sighed and pulled Elena towards the town common. They sat on a bench and she watched all the people go about their daily routines. "April 1999, five years after I found out Damon had still been looking for Katherine and ran away. I was in a trial period of becoming a permanent fourth grade teacher at Columbine Elementary School." Elena gasped lightly and the ravenette nodded solemnly. "Teaching was just something I wanted to do, a quick life I could make for myself. Another name and another lie. But I loved it. Every second of it." She smiled sadly. "I was meant to go in for my fourth day on April 20, 1999 when I got a call from the principal saying they didn't need me anymore. I was confused and beyond hurt. I was smashing up everything I had made and planned for my class - we were supposed to visit the school that day to see how I could handle a small field trip. Then the news on in the background caught my attention - the high school was being gunned down by two students not half an hour from where I was supposed to be by then and where we were going if I was."

Elena's eyes were wide and bright. She could barely believe what she was hearing. "It was a miracle they let you go then…"

"Yeah I thought so too until I was nearly out of town. I was at a red light about to turn onto the highway out of Columbine when, in the small crowd of cars that had the right of way, a baby blue Camaro with the top down sped past me. Both of our speakers were playing Creed's What's This Life For." She smiled pensively.

"Wait, Damon was in Columbine? And he didn't try to see you?"

"He doesn't even know that I saw him. That I left town for a few hours until everything settled and went back to compel the truth out of the principal. Turns out a charming man with 'these blue eyes' told her her to let me go that morning and send the children home before lunch for a teacher's conference. He said it should be nothing, but better safe than sorry…"

She took a breath and finally looked away from Nova and to the sky. "Your compulsion could break through and find out what Damon's had done to the principal?" She started to change the subject as to not press.

The ravenette nodded. "Don't feel ashamed to use it. I'm sure to you it feels wrong, messing with someone's head, but this is about survival. Not wanting to kill a person is perfectly acceptable; it's not necessary for survival. But a constant supply of fresh blood is. All you have to do is compel the person to forget and they go about their lives like nothing happened."

Elena looked down at her feet, a sadness in her chocolate eyes. "What if I'm not any good at compelling people? I do feel like it's messing with someone's head…"

Nova laughed a little and clapped her friend's back gently. "Don't worry, Elena; I'm your teacher and I'm _fantastic_ at compulsion."

* * *

Damon was seething. He decided he would further explain the link between the girls but Stefan wasn't in his room. Instead there were pages scattered over his desk and on top of the Vasile grimoire. Papers upon papers detailed various portions of the Vasile family scattered through time. The floorboards creaked and he looked up with a fire in his icy eyes. "What the fuck is this?"

Stefan froze in the doorway. It had been so quiet he thought Damon had left. He considered just running, knowing there was no possible lie he could fish up. The Vasile name was plastered all over those papers no matter what language the rest was in. The room started to get a chill to it and Stefan could see the pure rage growing in his brother's eyes. The blue irises looked like ice about to crack. "Elena and I found your paper trail when you went looking for her crown," he finally admitted. "The grimoire was left in the mausoleum."

He wanted nothing more than to ring his little brother's neck. "You snoops went digging, so what did you find?" He hissed.

Hesitantly and cautiously the olive eyed brother walked over to his desk and took the grimoire. He started to flip through the pages and asked if Damon knew anything about nephilim. Damon told him to get to the point. Stefan sighed and showed him a page with strange pictures and barely legible Romanian scrawl. "Nephilim are the offspring of angels and humans; the nephilim is generally twice as strong as the angel who sired it."

"And the Vasiles and yourselves give a dick about nonexistent angels because why?"

"First of all, what Nova's parents did to her back in Romania altered the genetics of her blood. It's permanently embedded into her blood cells so when she had children it would get passed into their blood as well."

"Then she turned, foiling their evil plot."

"No, Damon, their plot backfired when she turned and it started with you."

"Me? How the hell did it start with me?"

He set the book back down on the desk. "The night you turned you used Nova's blood to complete transition. Then your vampire blood - which had been awakened with her special blood - turned her. It created an infinite loop between the two of you."

Damon thought for a moment and looked down at the pages of the grimoire. "How did Elena turn in the barn exactly?" He asked quietly.

"When Nova killed the guard he was still bleeding enough for Elena to reach some. Why?"

He recalled the night again and played everything out as one, realizing that the very moment he stepped onto the ranch with Matt Elena was completing transition and both were in the vicinity of Nova. If the three were linked by blood the surge of her own sire's blood and coming progeny could have broken the open, dark link with Lethia. His eyes caught sight of one small name in particular that he'd look into later - Runa Vasile.

* * *

" _Forget this ever happened."_

Such a simple line and it was all over. The stranger had walked away without concern or a mark. She had fed on a person with Nova and they walked away like it never happened. Physically Elena felt better, but it still didn't sit right with her inside. Part of her wanted to run the other direction and never do such a thing again, but another didn't mind so much; she did feel better. She was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't heard Nova asking if she felt better.

She nodded stiffly. "How can you do that so easily though? The whole…" She trailed off, looking over her shoulder.

"Snatch, eat, erase?" Nova smirked. Elena nodded shyly, looking at the ground while they walked down the street towards the boarding house. "I'm surprised you're still following me and taking my lessons, so…" She smiled softly. "You're better at this than you think, Elena."

The brunette sighed. "I'm afraid of that _and_ screwing up. I'm afraid that I won't be able to survive as a vampire, but I'm also afraid that I'll like it too much if I do. That I won't be able to restrain myself and I'll do something awful."

She took a deep breath and rubbed the back of her head, scratching into her red shimmering dark hair. "It's not going to be easy, I won't lie to you. The first few months are the hardest and frankly it doesn't get much better until after at least a year. But in that time you grow and test the waters. You've been given another chance. I don't think you'll waste it." She smiled at her progeny.

"What did you think when you first found out vampires were real?"

Nova laughed a little and unlocked the front door. "Where I grew up and what I was raised into, the supernatural were well known to exist. Details were fuzzy but we knew we weren't the only creatures to exist."

Elena smiled softly. "I get that but I mean when you _knew_ they were real. Like face to face."

She held a breath that puffed her cheeks before blowing it out and they stopped for a moment in the parlour. "My parents preached to our little kingdom instilling in all of our heads what abominations vampires were. That witches' magic had gotten out of control. They sought to dominate not only humanity but the supernatural as well. They would crush any human, vampire, witch, or wolf alike for their gain. I was raised to kill on command, to help lead us towards top of the food chain. I couldn't stand listening to them run their mouths. Some things in life are just meant to be bigger.

"I knew they existed, but not where in the world. So I was minorly surprised to find vampires in America after I ran away. I met Anna first a few months before Katherine's arrival. I wasn't afraid which surprised her, I was curious. Genuinely curious. We hit it off quick and Anna showed me the real lives of vampires in America." She smiled softly.

"Knowing vampires walked amongst you then, did you ever think about turning? If you would ever want to?"

"I knew it sure would piss off my parents," she grinned. "But my life with Damon meant more to me. I was terrified when it became a reality for me, that it was actually happening, because I hadn't given it so much thought. I started to more after Damon turned but I just enjoyed every second alive. I knew that whatever the circumstances, if I had someone to live for, I was going to keep living. Whether I was technically dead or not. Be right back!"

She flashed one of her heart warming smiles and vanished, leaving a gust of wind behind her that brushed Elena's hair around. The brunette smiled after Nova and looked out of one of the large windows. The sunlight bounced off of her chocolate irises, making them shimmer a light hazel. She did feel different, but not in the monstrous way she imagined she would. She felt stronger, but still incredibly clumsy. Nova was being just like an older sister teaching her how to ride a bike or braid hair. It could feel normal if she would let it.

The sound of Nova's boots against the hardwood brought her out of her mind. She gave a small smile at the bottle of champagne in the ravenette's arms. "What's that for?"

Nova nodded her head, telling the brunette to follow her into the kitchen. "'92, right? I'm usually pretty good at remembering birthdays." She grabbed two glasses from the rack and put them down. "I figured a traditional celebration was in order."

"And what exactly are we celebrating?"

"Your first successful outing as a vampire," Nova spoke as she poured, "our first successful day together…" Her lips fought towards a smile but she resisted, maintaining a poker face. "It was a good day after a lot of shitty ones."

Elena's eyes probably wouldn't have caught the twitch before, but she did with her newfound sight. "It was. But to be honest, that's frightening just as much. What if I adjust too quickly? Forget my humanity completely…"

She met the girl's dark eyes comfortingly. She took a breath and nodded. "Yeah, I was pretty terrified of that too. For two years I watched the brothers both as they adjusted, how they struggled…" She took a seat across from Elena and rubbed her face, laughing sardonically. "In the first year alone I brushed with death 32 times." Elena's eyes widened and she flicked her tongue against her teeth. "All Damon, no worries. Your sweetheart was only the one to actually kill me." She grinned.

"Why the hell did you stay?"

"Well I wasn't dead yet, now was I?" Elena rolled her eyes. "He never meant to harm me, it was all a part of the process. Better me while I was still human rather than tearing apart the Eastern seaboard. Besides, the adrenaline rush made turning so much more spectacular. Another evasion of death but that time I was more. I did more than just cheat Death. I reveled in it." She smiled coyly. "I still do."

They were quiet a moment, something playful in Nova's eyes challenging Elena. The ravenette slid their glasses and her phone started to ring. Elena dug around in her purse and took out her cell phone to answer. She rolled her eyes again and held out the device to Nova. "It's for you."

She made a face when she saw Damon's name on the screen and took the phone. "Yes?"

"Did you do it?"

"Well if that's not very vague, _iubițel._ "

"Did you set off the damn explosion that killed the council?"

Nova threw her head back and groaned. "Do I look like I'm wearing my "I Blew Up the Council" t-shirt? Because last time I checked I broke a girl's nose at Victoria's Secret for this shirt on sale. Oh yeah, and probably, I don't know, the Pastor might as well have been a fucking vervain plant! He's the one that made the kaboom. Must have really been kicking himself for letting a Vasile and the town's vampires get away."

"Stuff it, Nova, it's got your scent all over it. Literally. Even through the smoke and ash. How did you do it, huh? Even you've got to be invited in and there's no way he'd do that."

"Damon-"

"You couldn't have killed him and set the fire because it would have scared everyone else and it would have showed up in his autopsy. Come on, Nov, how'd you talk him into backflipping off the ledge?"

"The NSA must love conversations like these, I swear," she laughed. "Listen, you're done binging Criminal Minds on my Netflix. We will discuss this when I'm home."

"Nova-"

" _Te iubesc, iubițel. La revedere!_ " She grinned and ended the call, handing Elena her phone back. "Side lesson: stress is very bad for maintaining bloodlust." She slapped the marble countertop of the island and stood, going to the fridge. Without skipping a beat she took out a blood bag and poured some of its contents into her champagne glass like it was chocolate syrup in milk. She offered the bag to Elena who made a face and shook her head. Nova drank her champagne and nodded. "Yeah, it's better warm." She shrugged.

"Well, yeah," she sheepishly agreed, shifting awkwardly in her seat, "but knowing it's another person's blood...it's the thought that bothers me."

Nova's nails clicked on the marble, her eyes giving away that she was thinking hard about something. "You still feel out of place, or not so deeply connected to anything?"

"Yeah...like I'm just existing, but for what? I was a hopeless human and now I can't even vampire well. I don't belong in either world…"

"Fuck," the ravenette mumbled, her tapping growing quicker and harsher. "Uh, how do I explain this simply…" She ran a hand through her thick waves. "You know how sometimes it's difficult for a newborn baby to latch and breastfeed?"

"Yeah, thankfully a lot of times the baby just has to acknowledge the person is its mother and he needs to eat. He has to form that outside bond."

She nodded slowly. "Exactly. We can try something that would likely forge that bond and help you settle in easier."

"It'll make me feel better?"

"It should. But it's something that would have to be kept between us as best as possible."

"Is it dangerous…?"

Nova chuckled lightly and walked around the island slowly. "Not really, no. It's something more…" She wrinkled her nose a bit. "For a lack of better wording, it's rather intimate. It'll create a sort of bond between you and I."

Elena's eyes widened a little, a light blush rising on her cheeks. "I-is it like the link you have with Lethia?"

"Mm...more like the one I share with Damon."

"You're linked to Damon too?"

"It's different from a witch's spell. He used my human blood to complete his transition, his blood then turned me. It's a special kind of bond, one forged in blood." Her fangs extended without her face changing and she bit into her palm, causing Elena to let out a small gasp. "It's entirely your decision. Our emotions will sort of refract off of one another, I'll know when you're losing your grip."

So that was it, what closed the loop; Nova's blood sealed Damon's transition, and Damon's blood put her in transition, but they'd continued exchanging blood even after they'd both turned. She was directly descended having been turned with Nova's blood. Maybe her blood since Elena was a vampire would close the loop and she could get on with her life. Hesitantly, Elena reached out and took her sire's hand to her mouth. Nova was admittedly surprised and held the girl protectively as she fed.

* * *

"There's a sight to behold," Damon commented to his little brother.

Stefan looked to the entrance of the church to see Elena and Nova both looking marvelous in their black dresses, and linked arm in arm. His eyebrows raised. "I would have thought Nova's feet would be singing by now."

The girls hugged and parted, Elena going off to pass out pamphlets and Nova over to the brothers. She smirked up at Stefan. "Didn't you ever see _Little Nicky_? Aluminum foil on the bottoms of my feet." She winked.

Damon bent down and gave her a kiss. "Didn't see you touch the holy water on the way in." He smirked.

"Didn't want to melt my manicure." She grinned up at him.

"How's Elena?" Stefan asked. "Is she doing alright? Should she be alone right now?"

"For fuck's sake, Stef, take it down a notch. Compel a therapist for some Lorazepam or buy Xanax off one of your classmates." She rolled her eyes. "Elena is doing just fine. We've had a great day."

"I noticed the flask was missing," Damon quipped.

She pointed one of her claw like nails up at him with a smirk. "Don't even get me started, Damon. I realized what your first 'celebratory drink' was for, asshole."

He grinned and backed down. Stefan rolled his eyes. "Has she gotten used to animal blood?"

Nova's nose wrinkled up. "I tried, Stefan; really, I did. We both did. But it's fucking disgusting. I taught her how to compel people." She shrugged.

Damon started to snicker but his brother looked completely unamused. He immediately started to look around the crowd for his girlfriend and started to panic when he couldn't find her. A ping came from the direction of Nova's chest and she fished a brand new phone from her breasts. "Got this en route here because I felt today was not the day to dawdle. I was proven correct again. You'll have to excuse me, boys." She smiled and stood on her toes to kiss Damon's cheek. Stefan had to do a double take; he swore he actually saw aluminum foil on the bottoms of her feet when they slipped out of her shoes a peep. The ravenette turned and gave him a wink before vanishing completely.

The brothers exchanged wary looks.

* * *

"Basic Breakdown Kit has arrived on scene," Nova smiled, quickly locking the bathroom door behind her. Elena poked her head out of one of the two stalls with blood dripping down her mouth. The ravenette pat the duffel bag in her hand. "I always come prepared. What's the situation?" She pushed her way into the little stall and found a person barely conscious and still bleeding with a blood covered and panicking Elena. "Still covered." She shrugged. "This is exactly why I said to wear black - nobody will even notice you changed. This guy isn't going to make it out of here even with my blood. It's best to just put him out of his misery and get rid of the evidence."

Elena started to sob. She appreciated Nova's forwardness but she was falling apart. The ravenette put a hand calmly on her shoulder before tearing into his throat until he stopped moving and breathing all together. She stood and held the duffel bag to Elena, blending a trace of blood left on her lips into her dark red lipstick. "Two seconds. You change."

She barely had time to tear off her dress and open the duffel bag before Nova had returned and handed her an emerald handkerchief to wipe her mouth with. The two hastily worked together to zip Elena into a clean black dress and completely eradicate any trace of blood left behind or on the brunette. Once she was looking clean and proper with the bloodied dress and such locked into the bag they emerged from the bathroom. Nova made a face when they ran into a man; he gave her a bad vibe.

"We have not met," he smiled slyly and held out his hand. "I'm Connor Jordan."

The ravenette stepped protectively in front of her progeny and smiled with disgust down at his hand. "Nova. Germaphobe." She nodded back towards Elena. "Elena. Grief stricken sister in law to be."

"And the duffel bag?"

She rolled her eyes. "A woman is always prepared for a wardrobe malfunction or disaster. What brings you to Mystic Falls?" She looked him up and down and smirked. "Bible salesman?"

He laughed a little. "No, actually, I'm in environmental cleanup. Heard you had a bit of a pollution problem out here."

"Huh, well I was unaware." Connor arched a brow. "I breathe pretty easy." Nova's smirk flicked. "Enjoy your stay, Mr. Jordan. We love visitors and the scenery is to _die_ for." She winked and hastily tugged Elena off.

He had to look back; he swore he saw aluminum foil on her feet and in her shoes.

The girls made it to the parking lot before Stefan then busted them. "Where have you two been? What's in the duffel bag?"

Nova reacted quickly and tossed the bag to Elena. "Trunk of my car then directly inside. Now." She gave a nod and vanished in a blur towards the Firebird, appeared for a split second, and vanished back into the church. Nova spun to face the younger brother with a sly grin. "What duffel bag?" She held up her keys and pressed a button, locking the car.

"Nova, what the hell is going on? Did something happen to Elena?"

"Gods you're so terribly needy," she rolled her eyes. "She's perfectly fine now. She had a slip up, it happens. She had some issues keeping blood down but she shouldn't have an issue now."

"I don't like the idea of Elena feeding directly from a person."

"Nobody likes the thought of doing that at first. Elena was really upset about it but I promise you she'll be fine now. My blood helped her get used to the reality." She immediately realized what escaped her lips and instead of looking away with guilt she held her head high with pride and strut past a bewildered and baffled Stefan.

* * *

Elena shifted uncomfortably up at the podium. " I uh – when I talked to April earlier she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak. And now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too."

Damon slid in the pew beside Nova a few rows down from the rest of the group. He glanced at her with a smirk, eyes lingering for a moment on her pale, long legs. They both looked forward and kept their eyes on Elena. "So Stefan and I had a chat," he told her quietly.

"Anything interesting?" She quipped back with a sly smirk. Even if her ship was sinking she would still go strutting with pride.

"She's not looking too good," he nodded up towards Elena who had gripped both sides of the podium. "You sure your blood isn't more like all the cocaine you would blow and she's in need of a fix before she snaps?"

"The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them." The brunette's voice resonated shakily.

"She couldn't keep anything down and even the thought of trying killed her inside. Drugs aren't much different from tipping back bottle after bottle."

"Normally I wouldn't be arguing with you about this but it turns out what your parents did to you was forever coded into your blood. It affects all three of us now."

She turned to ask him what he was talking about when they smelled it: _blood_. They both remained entirely still as though they hadn't noticed. The scent wafted towards Caroline and Tyler who quickly noticed. "Caroline, Tyler, don't move," Nova spoke as quietly as she could so only the blonde vampire and hybrid beside her could hear.

"Nobody move," Damon continued. "It's a trap."

Elena started to stutter and lose her grip; Nova could feel that her progeny also smelled the blood. She was having the hardest time containing it. The ravenette could see Elena's face desperately fighting changing. "Stefan, go get her. Now." She hissed quietly.

The younger brother rushed immediately to his love's side, turning her face away from the crowd and rubbing her arms soothingly. "It's okay, it's okay. I got you, I got you." He cradled her close and ushered her back to where he was sitting, a few pews up from Nova and Damon.

"The blood. Stefan, the blood, I can smell it. There's so much…" She shook her head. "I need to find Nova."

"She's a few seats back, it'll be alright."

"Damon I need to get to her," the Romanian vampire hissed with her eyes on the brunette. "She's going to snap."

"If either of you move it'll draw attention. Someone is watching us."

"Then I'm going to go rip his head off."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Again, normally I'd agree, but that'd risk exposing us all."

"Well, I think the risk will be slightly diminished when I, you know, rip his head off."

Elena's leg was shaking. "Stefan, I'm losing it. I need Nova. The blood. I can still smell it. It's got to be April. We have to help her."

"I got this," came Tyler's voice suddenly. He stood and started walking up to the podium. "Excuse me. I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young."

"Maybe he doesn't think with only his downstairs head," Nova snickered.

"What's that idiot doing?" Damon snarled.

"Using his upstairs head for once. Just watch and get ready. I've got a good feeling who's watching us and what's about to happen. We've got to move fast."

"Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports. Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team; a community. Of giving yourself up for the sake of-"

A gun fired and clipped Tyler's shoulder. Everyone started to panic and rush around. Nova immediately shoved Damon out of the pew and ran straight for Elena. "What about April?" She questioned before Nova could pull her away.

"I got it," came Caroline. "Go!"

"Come on," Nova urged, grabbing the girl's hand. She looked to Damon who gave her a nod and grabbed his brother. The girls started to run out the back away from the commotion and sea of people. She fished her keys from her bra and unlocked the Firebird, practically shoving Elena inside. She jumped in the driver's seat and locked the doors, turning the ignition. "When I was really little someone put a hit out on my parents. I've been sent to kill hitmen before they could hit. I know protocol."

"But Stefan and Damon, and everyone else-"

As if on cue Nova's phone started to ring. "So glad I compelled that lovely lady at Verizon to let me keep my number."

"Me too," Damon replied. "I've had it memorized for nearly 20 years now. The bastard got away. I had him and now I have another nice shirt with bullet holes in it. It's the new town snoop - that Connor Jordan guy."

"I had a feeling. He tried to corner us earlier. I'll try to get ahold of Thea and see what she can find on him."

"Have you heard from her recently? Like since you forced the link open?"

Elena saw something cross the ravenette's countenance, something that concerned her and really pissed her off. "I'll find her." Without another word she ended the call and started to dial again. When no one answered she redialed. Still no answer and Elena had to remind her not to crush her brand new phone. "I'm a fucking idiot."

"What happened? Is Lethia okay?"

"I don't know. I forced open our link when Pastor Young captured the rest of us and I fear something happened to her because of it. I need to find her quickly." She grit her teeth and punched her dashboard just weak enough not to crack it. "Dammit! I should have checked on her sooner."

"What's the worst that could happen to her because of your link? Do you think Connor took her?"

"No, he shouldn't know about us. What I'm concerned about it her well-being and if the population of werewolves has shrunk dramatically in the last couple days."

Elena's eyes widened. "Why would it…?"

Nova said nothing. She just gripped the wheel tighter, eyes forward, and stomped on the gas pedal.

* * *

"Elena was a little upset that you didn't show," Damon commented as he sat on a bench beside a headstone with a bottle of bourbon.

Nova slipped down from the high branch of a nearby tree she was in to a lower one near Damon. She had changed into a high-low black dress that waved off the branch with one of her legs. Her heels were discarded at the base of the tree with aluminum foil in them. She stared up at the dark sky with solemn eyes and a bottle of whiskey half drank. "I was genuinely going to." She told him, gesturing to the dress.

"So why ditch? Especially if you were just going to mope in a tree not 50 feet from their little memorial. I'm sure you heard everything." He swigged his bourbon.

She nodded and sipped her whiskey. "I did. I just couldn't bring myself to join. I couldn't stand around a bunch of headstones and memorialize the dead, not when my parents were so kind to give me one in Romania as a way to shame me. Not memorialize me." Another larger and more bitter swig.

He quirked a brow. "When did you find that out?"

"I returned to my family's castle in 1995. It was displayed for everyone to see - 'Here lies Nova Vasile, August 11, 1841 to May 8, 1860. Abandoned her blood and home. Traitor.'" Another sip. "They didn't even have a body to bury. Just put up a headstone basically on the front lawn. So I'm dead anywhere I go, really."

They were quiet and each took a gracious swig of their bottles. "They're floating lanterns in the sky, can you believe that?" Damon spoke at last. "A Japanese lantern is the symbol of letting go of the past. Well, here's a news flash: we're not Japanese!"

She laughed a little. "Do you know what they are? Children. Like lighting a candle is going to make everything okay or even saying a prayer or pretending Elena is not going to end up just like the rest of us murderous vampires. Stupid, delusional, exasperating, little children."

He smiled softly. "Ric would have said, 'It makes them feel better'." He sighed. "So what? For how long? A minute, a day? What differences does it make? Because in the end, when you lose somebody; every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing that you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody that you cared about used to be."

"And a rock with a couple of dates carved into them that they usually fuck up." Nova snickered, finally feeling a little buzzed.

Damon glanced down at the headstone to his side and laughed a little. "Yep. Looks like they fucked up the birthday." He shook his head and took one of his final swigs as the bottle was almost empty. "So, thanks, friend. Thanks for leaving me here to babysit, because I should have been long gone by now. We both should have. But here we are, fighting with my brother and taking care of the kids while you get out of your best man duties. You owe us big, Ric."

He took his last swig from the bottle and stood, holding his hand out to Nova. She finished off her bottle and slid out of the tree, into his arms. They each set their bottles down on the top of the headstone, Alaric's name staring up at them. She stared it painfully before Damon kissed her forehead and laced his fingers with hers. They turned and started walking past the bench when Zina's bracelet shimmered on Nova's wrist through the dark. She stopped abruptly to look at the bracelet, holding her arm up on the side facing the bench. She jumped and gasped, swearing she saw Alaric. She spun around, the bracelet now facing the other way, and only a bench stared back at her.

"Are you alright, _dolcezza_?"

"I thought I saw...never mind, I need to get the hell out of this cemetery." She shook her head and let Damon lead her out.

The ghost of Alaric stared after them, wondering where he'd seen that bracelet before. "I miss you guys too."

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Te iubesc, iubițel. La revedere_ ; Romanian ; I love you, baby. Goodbye!


	25. Maybe It's Fear That Leads Your Rage

25: Maybe It's Fear That Leads Your Rage.

"Good day for a midlife crisis. 164 years, I'd say you're due."

Stefan sighed and sat up on the motorcycle he was fixing. "Elena's transition to vampire has been a little depressing. I'm gonna help her have some fun."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh. Those who can't do, teach."

"Okay, what's your deal? Whose body did you bury this time?"

"That hunter jacked Tyler Lockwood of his werewolf venom last night, so basically, he's got vampire poison in a bottle. And I'm gonna find him, and I'm gonna eat him."

Stefan nodded slowly and cleaned off his hands with a rag, getting off the bike. "Alright, there's the kindling; where's the gasoline on the fire?"

He groaned a little and rolled his eyes again. "Fine. I...I didn't expect Nova to ever settle back down in Mystic Falls. In case you didn't notice, because I certainly did, her cute house in the woods? Same exact layout as our childhood property about a mile or so deeper in the woods."

"There's no way it's exact, Damon."

"Yeah, there is, because she has the most ridiculous photographic memory I've ever seen. Her music room is the damn parlor. Map it out from there."

Stefan thought for a moment comparing the two houses before realizing that his brother was correct. As a matter of fact, her bedroom was in the very same spot as the one she spent the most time in - Damon's. Across the hall where Lethia had thrown most of her belonings would have been Nova's old room. "It's still better than setting it up like Vasile castle I'd imagine. It's just somewhere she always felt comfortable."

"Comfortable enough that she's super hung up over being Elena's sire. She might as well have made an entire curriculum layout for the girl; Intro to Vampirism 101 with Miss Nova or some shit. It's worse than when Rebekah teamed up with Lethia and Nova. I don't think Lethia is the only one linked to her anymore."

He sighed. "That's been a concern of mine. I don't think Lethia's been the only one linked to Nova to begin with, I think Elena's just joined. Her blood immediately created the link to you and it just extended to Elena. I've been trying to look more into what Nova's parents might have done to her in case Elena shows the same."

"Put vervain in her drink." Damon groaned at his brother's face. "Nova's immune to vervain and wolf venom. If Elena is too no harm no foul." He shrugged.

"I've been putting vervain in yours, actually."

His eyes widened and for a moment they both just stared at one another. After too long of silence Damon spoke again. "I hope you're prepared for when she finds out about Klaus."

* * *

Caroline groaned as she looked at her phone. "Rebekah is back at school."

Nova rolled her eyes and they took their coffees from the cashier at the counter of Nova's favorite cafe. "I regret allowing Elena to pressure me into letting her go."

"Apparently she's throwing some anti-curfew party or something."

They turned to head out and Nova bumped into a young woman just a hair shorter than she. The girl had glossy black hair and domineering blue-green eyes. Had Nova been human she might have submitted beneath eyes so strong. Caroline looked between the two ravenettes locked in an intense stare down and waved her hand around. "Do you two know each other or something?"

"No," Nova drawled, emerald eyes never leaving the other girl's. "Just bumped into each other. My bad." They nodded stiffly to each other and walked in opposite directions.

"Okay that was like an eleven on the creep scale. What the hell was that about?" The blonde questioned as the cafe bell dinged with their exit.

"I'm not sure, Care. Keep an eye out for that girl, something in her eyes doesn't sit right with me." Her phone pinged with a text from Elena; Rebekah had been harassing her in class and told everyone about the party. Caroline offered to go pick her up from school and her phone pinged again, that time with a message from Damon who requested her _immediately_. She sighed and sipped her coffee. "You go get Elena. My idiot used the words 'please' and 'hurry'."

Caroline laughed and dashed off to her car to get Elena. Nova started to walk briskly down the street and drink her coffee. She was in the middle of a reply to Damon when her eyes caught sight of a sleek, black Cadillac in the rear of the cafe.

* * *

"You're ridiculous," Nova chastised when she found Damon caught in a trap in Connor's RV. "Why shouldn't I just leave you here for a bit to freak out a bit?" She smirked with a hand on her hip.

Damon grinned sweetly. "Because then there goes your Mystic Falls wedding and bestest friend of all time."

"Oh you think so huh? You think you rank higher than Lethia?"

"Pftt, I _know_ I rank higher than Lethia. You two may have had your drunken or drugged up nights but she's still never made-"

"Alright, alright!" She waved her hands around dramatically. "Gods you kill me brutally inside." She started checking out the trap and the bomb. "Why didn't you call your brother?"

"Because I'm proud, and stubborn, and...oh, look! You're already here." He grinned and she glared up at him. "Come on, you're not gonna get hurt. All I need you to do is be doctorly and cut out the arrow. I'd do it myself, but if I move…" He gestured towards the string on the arrow deep in his thigh and she slapped his hand.

"Don't touch, dumbass. I'm not a doctor, Damon."

"But you were an emergency room nurse for a couple of months after studying everything you needed and compelling yourself a license."

She stopped abruptly and looked up at him with wide eyes. "How do you know that…? That was in-"

"1999 after Columbine. The tragedy made you want to help and you figured the best place for that and a rush would be a big city emergency room like Lenox Hill in New York."

She stared at him for a moment before taking her job to do more seriously. She started poking around carefully and took one of her sai blades out of her boot. "How did you get stuck on hunter duty?" She asked quietly.

He smiled softly. "Stefan had a physics test. Nova, be honest with me, what happened at the farm?"

Nova let out a heavy sigh before digging around with her blade. "I persuaded Pastor Young to set the fire and kill them all."

"How, if he was on vervain?"

She shrugged small enough as to not disturb her work. "I don't know," she told him quietly. "My gut just told me to go for it and it worked." She slid her blade back into her boot and stood, touching his cheek gently. "You really are a good brother."

He smirked down at her. "I'm the _bad_ brother." Without looking away Nova released him from the trap without detonating the bomb. He kissed her forehead. "That's why I called _you_."

* * *

"Hope you plan on cleaning this up."

Elena turned around, startled by Damon. "I need bourbon to get through Rebekah's party. Yours is better than Stefan's." She lied.

"Top drawer in the dresser." He returned the lie.

She checked the drawer, furrowing her brows when she found underwear. "You keep alcohol in your underwear drawer?"

"No, but you weren't looking for alcohol, were you?" She looked at him guiltily. "Do you think I'd actually leave the last remaining white oak stake where any vampire could just walk in and take it?" A remotely loud knock at the front door caused him to roll his eyes. He bounded back down stairs with Elena in tow and found a dark haired young woman at the door.

She smiled coyly, her blue-green eyes menacing. Elena casually took out her phone and read over a text she had gotten from Caroline earlier, mentioning a strange girl with 'rude blue eyes' that Nova reccomended watching. Carefully she pulled up the camera and snapped a picture. "Zarya Deighton; I'm just passing through town," the ravenette spoke calmly, "and needed a place to crash for the night."

Elena forced a smile and slipped her phone back into her pocket. "Well the boarding house is the closest thing to a hotel in town. If you'll excuse me though, I've got to go get ready for a party." She hurriedly passed by the ravenette. Once she was out of sight she sped off into the woods until she came to Nova's home in the woods. Walking up the stairs she realized just how close the place was to the old Salvatore ruins.

Walking closer she found the front door open and screen door shut with the sound of a piano flowing through the house. She walked in and followed the piano music closer until she heard Nova's voice singing softly.

"... _Good enough,  
_ _I feel good enough.  
_ _It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good.  
_ _And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall.  
_ _Pour real life down on me._

 _'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough.  
_ _Am I good enough for you to love me too?  
_ _So take care what you ask of me,  
_ _'cause I can't say no…_ "

Elena couldn't help but smile and clap when she found the Romanian vampire at her piano bench. "That was beautiful." She commended, having completely forgotten about the stranger at the boarding house.

Nova's cheeks turned pink when she smiled. She waved the brunette over to sit beside her. "It was actually the first song I ever wrote and publicly sang."

"Seriously? When?"

She laughed a little when she thought about it. "1864."

* * *

[Flashback; Mystic Falls, 1864]

"It appears Miss Nova Vasile of the Salvatore household has joined after all," someone announced to the crowd.

Katherine instantly scowled. Damon choked a little on his drink and started scanning the crowd to find her. When she arrived, however, everyone knew it. The crowd practically parted so everyone could see Nova Vasile. She had been ill so long that most started to think consumption was going to take her next. Instead, she walked into the ballroom with her head held high and emerald eyes twinkling. She didn't even look like she'd been sick at all.

Her gown was magnificent, flowing in flawless crimson and black with silver designs on the front of her corset spanning down into the skirt. She bravely showed off her chest with a lower and more scandalous cut sweetheart line, small cap sleeves just brushing her shoulders. By some miracle she was actually wearing black flats beneath.

Her eyes met Damon's first, as she expected they would. She had grown quite used to finding him in a crowd. He started to walk towards her but she smiled shyly and wagged a finger at him, stopping him in his tracks. She walked over to the grand piano in the back of the room and sat down on the bench. No one had really touched that piano in years; Giuseppe smiled softly having known that the girl would often sneak in and practice. Some whispers started to make their way through the crowd as the ravenette started off slowly. Katherine started to seethe when the girl opened her mouth and sang.

" _Under your spell again.  
_ _I can't say no to you.  
_ _Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand.  
_ _I can't say no to you._

 _Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly.  
_ _Now I can't let go of this dream.  
_ _I can't breathe but I feel..._

 _Good enough,  
_ _I feel good enough for you.  
_ _Drink up sweet decadence.  
_ _I can't say no to you,  
_ _And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind.  
_ _I can't say no to you._

 _Shouldn't let you conquer me completely.  
_ _Now I can't let go of this dream.  
_ _Can't believe that I feel…_ "

The second she finished the crowd erupted into claps and cheers. She started to stand, embarrassed but proud of herself and legs shaking. Damon ran right up and swept her off her feet, doting on how fantastic she was. She didn't even look like she'd ever been sick at all. He could feel himself getting caught in the moment and kept going. He took her face gently in his hands and kissed her in front of the crowd, earning another response of cheers and joy. Katherine stormed out of the hall absolutely furious.

* * *

[Present]

"Come on, let's try to look not like we could snap and murder someone at any given second," Nova teased, tugging Elena upstairs.

"You two used to be friends once…"

She shrugged and sat the brunette down on her vanity chair to brush her hair. "Then let me handle her at the party."

Elena sighed. "She made me so angry today in school...I was afraid I was going to snap and hurt someone. Matt let me feed on him so I wouldn't. That's not right."

"It's not going to be easy. Dealing with your emotions heightened is the worst. There was a really dark period of time for me in 1877 in particular when it felt like my chest was going to explode and no amount of human blood would make me feel better or even satisfy my hunger."

"Wh-what happened that made you stop?"

"Only one thing did because I hadn't yet gotten into drugs. And trust me, cocaine numbs _everything_ when it's just right." She made a face. "And you blow 20 lines in five minutes." She shrugged off the thought and bit into her palm. "The blood of my sire. Closest thing I can compare MDMA to."

Elena's face contorted a little. "Isn't that Ecstasy?"

Nova smirked. "And it's fucking fantastic."

She looked at the slowly closing punctures on her sire's pale hand for a brief moment before deciding to drink the blood again.

* * *

April smiled when Elena offered her a drink. "You know, you used to read me bedtime stories."

"And now I'm offering you beer. Sounds about right."

Nova sipped her silver flask and rolled her eyes. She remembered quite quickly why she couldn't stand high school parties and why she avoided all of Elena's birthday party the night she arrived in town. Elena asked the girl how she was doing. "I'm trudging through my denial phase. Dreaming up conspiracy theories," she answered.

"So, you-you don't think that it was an accident?"

Nova's emerald eyes watched April carefully as she answered. "I know there's no investigation, that everyone's calling it an accident. But, the shooting at the church? It just feels like…"

"Like something wicked this way comes?" Came Rebekah. "I know, right? It's like this town's cursed or something."

The ravenette clapped April on the shoulder gently, making eye contact with her. "Why don't you go mingle around the party kiddo?" She compelled her.

"Did you blow up her dad's house to get revenge on the council?" Elena snapped with April out of earshot.

The blonde rolled her eyes. "I don't give a damn about some dodgy, middle-aged Council. You come into my house, throw around false accusations and then you have the nerve to drink my beer?" She swiped the cup from Elena's hand. "And you," she looked to Nova, "what are you doing stuck at the bloody doppelganger's hip?"

Nova slowly slid the flask back into her jacket pocket. "That's what happens when you make a promise to a dying man and the girl you're supposed to protect gets turned with your blood in her system. You sort of form a last minute, unexpected bond."

"I don't very much like your tone, Nova."

She stepped in front of Elena protectively. "And I'd like to wipe that smug, self-righteous look off your face." She smiled threateningly. "Elena is my progeny. She's a branch of my blood."

Rebekah scowled. "I was only trying to help you and Damon."

"I know that, and I'm still grateful. But it gave me a responsibility that I must care for just as I know deep down you'd still do anything for your brothers. Klaus especially, I'm sure."

There was a pause and the two started going blow for blow. Elena threw herself in the middle in an attempt to help Nova and/or break up the fight but Rebekah found an opportunity and ripped her daylight ring off her finger. It went flying through the kitchen under the fridge and Elena fled to the shadows when the sun scorched her. That fueled Nova's anger and she started mercilessly pounding on the blonde. Rebekah noticed her daylight necklace dangling in her face and didn't think twice in ripping it off too. Nova and Rebekah both leaped backwards as the necklace crashed to the floor. The ravenette looked at the light on her skin but it didn't even hurt. The most that the light bothered were her eyes. Rebekah noticed and sped out of the house in a flash.

Stefan ran into the kitchen in a panic. He saw Elena trapped in a dark corner and Nova in the middle of the kitchen with her chest bare without the necklace. He caught sight of the necklace on the floor and looked back up, immensely confused as to how she wasn't burning at all. Nova reacted fast, swiping up her necklace and fleeing after Rebekah.

She caught up to the blonde outside and tackled her onto the grass. A mass of people moved for the 'cat fight' and Rebekah started going for hair. Nova snarled, despising the cheap move, and rammed her skull right into the Original vampire's twice until she let go of Nova's raven locks. She pulled her fist back and was ready to launch when she was swiftly pulled off by the waist by Damon. Rebekah stood and spat a mouthful of blood, eyes quickly finding Stefan and Elena in the crowd as well. "Leaving the party so soon? Pity."

Damon set Nova delicately on her feet and Elena nodded her head at something, making her smirk. "No, not just yet." She and Elena kissed their beau's cheeks and fist bumped, the two of them going to the two kegs. "We never got a proper drink." She gave a wink and the duo simultaneously flipped upside-down on the kegs and did keg stands with the crowd cheering.

They both stopped at the same time and wiped their mouths. " _Now_ we're ready to go," Elena smirked.

* * *

Nova decided on returning to the boarding house with Damon running errands and Stefan having taken Elena out. She threw her jacket on the rack and found a note on the table she was putting her keys on. It was from Damon earlier in the day in case he forgot to mention to it because he just didn't care but they had a temporary boarder - Zarya Deighton. She took out her phone and called Lethia for the 19th time since her drive home. At last, she answered.

"I'm fine, don't shoot me," she laughed dryly. "Just a really nasty migraine. What's the SOS?"

"I was hoping you could find some information on someone for me, a stranger in town."

"Oh come on, like we don't have enough trouble in town right now? What's the name? Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll be a coincidence, just some rando really passing through with no beef."

Nova laughed a little. "Yeah, I wish. But you know Gibbs' rule - there are no such things as coincidences. Her name is Zarya Deighton."

There was a brief silence followed by fast typing and a ping. "Alright, so she's from Pike Creek, Delaware, waitress, good parents, only child, no visible record, good kid, long time best friend; on the surface she's just a normal human."

Nova made a face and sipped on a blood bag she had gotten from the fridge. "On the surface, though. I saw this girl in person and something in her eyes was just not right."

Another ping came to Lethia's computer. "What's not right is that she's a fucking missing person."

" _What?_ "

"She's been missing for a couple of years now, her long time best friend just a couple of months longer than that. Her friend, Nick, went missing and she got so sick and bruised out of no where but doctors called it severe depression. Next thing you know she's just up and gone too. You're right, I'll dig deeper and call you back. Keep an eye on her."

After they hung up and she finished the blood bag, Nova's ears picked up the quietest heartbeat upstairs. She tossed the bag in the trash and silently headed up the stairs. Zarya's door was only two down and the door was cracked open; she could see the ravenette on the bed inside. Carefully she peered inside and found Zarya out cold, seemingly having a nightmare. Nova stepped forward more to check on her when she awoke suddenly, launching forward and smashing heads with the vampire.

When Zarya's eyes opened, the latter ravenette noted how her eyes were much less blue than earlier, a magnificent green mostly taking over. The girl's entire aura had changed; she even looked up at Nova admiringly. "Forgive me, I don't mean any harm. I'm Damon's fiance and help manage the property when the brothers are out."

Zarya stared up at Nova with massive eyes. She was jealous of the way the vampire's glimmered and glowed a perfect emerald. Thoughts plagued her deeply, deep enough where she could ignore the archangel screaming in her head. She couldn't even enjoy the fact that she got control of her own body back because she was staring up at Nova freaking Vasile. She wondered if what her copilot had told her was true; if it was, she certainly wondered why her eyes were so washed with blue instead of brightly green. "You don't need to lie to me, I know you're a vampire."

The Romanian chuckled. "That's fantastic but I wasn't lying." She held up her left hand with her engagement ring. "Who exactly are you, kiddo? How'd you end up in Mystic Falls?"

She sighed a little. "My name is Zarya Deighton. And you're not going to believe how I got here."

"There isn't a lot left in this world for me to not believe, Zarya."

She shrugged. "Okay, fine then; I'm bound to the archangel Lucifer. A couple of hunters put him back in the cage in Hell but our bond gave him a special doorway into being my copilot and he dragged me here. Literally."

Nova licked her lips, staring in disbelief at the other ravenette. Her phone chimed in her pocket and she took it out without looking away from the girl. "You just might fit in around here if you stick around." She checked her phone to find a frantic text from Stefan requesting that she hurry to Elena's house and she vanished out the door back into her Firebird.

Lethia called before she could put her phone down. "So get this, digging through the supernatural and monster worlds, Zarya Deighton comes up again. Shortly before she vanished she was visited by two fake FBI agents - brothers, monster hunters."

"No relation to the Brotherhood of the Five?"

"None at all. Humans who hunt monsters because they're suicidal or some shit. Going deeper, it turns out her birth certificate was faked and the real one is some hidden treasure. The Deightons were distant relatives of her best friend Nick. No names on her parents but when she was seven the were all in a nasty car accident. Right into a rapid, freezing river. All three DOA. Just before they mark Zarya's in ink she springs to life and from there it's all about a blue eyed angel trapped in a cage in Hell."

"Fuck," Nova cursed, still speeding towards Elena's. "So she's not just bat shit crazy; I had a brief conversation with her just now and she mentioned being bonded to fucking Lucifer. Guess the Devil really does have blue eyes."

"It gets better...or worse, however you want to look at it; the Deightons had her compelled and documents forged so she'd never mention the angel or her parents or anything of the sort again. They don't want who her birth parents are getting out and I want to know why."

"That's got to be why she's in Mystic Falls - she's searching for information on her birth family. The cat must be out of the bag. I don't even want to know what could bring her here though. Thanks Thea, keep me posted." She ended the call just as she whipped into the driveway of the Gilbert residence and found three missed calls from Stefan she had missed talking to Lethia. "I'm coming, I'm coming, fuck," she muttered as she hurried out of the car and into the house. "I'm here, what was the SOS?" She shouted through the house as she rounded the corner into the living room. Elena looked just fine where she sat on the couch, albeit rather...guilty?

Stefan sighed heavily. "Elena had been poisoned with werewolf venom."

Nova blinked with confusion. "She looks just fine though." She grinned suddenly with a thought. "You're immune like I am, aren't you? That's fucking awesome! Do you think-"

"No," the young Salvatore interrupted her, "she's...she's not immune, Nova. I wasn't sure if you'd be able to help or if you'd make it in time so you weren't the only person I called...I tried calling you again to tell you you didn't need to come but you didn't answer…"

She stood upright with her guard entirely up suddenly. "I was on the phone with Lethia and didn't get anything else until I got here…"

"Realistically, luv, you shouldn't have been on your phone while driving in the first place." Her eyes widened with horror and wandered slowly until they met Klaus' in the doorway. "I thought I did you a favor when I broke it the last time."

Her heart started to beat faster and harder inside of her chest than she was used to. She took a frightened step backwards and started to shake. Zarya might have the real Lucifer as her copilot but Nova was positive that she was the one staring into the Devil's blue eyes. "What the actual fuck is going on?"

Klaus smirked at her fear. "Just doing my civil duties since I've been given yet another shot at life."

Elena had risen from her seat, practically feeling her sire absolutely seething and terrified. She couldn't blame Nova for being angry. The more she thought about and looked into the eyes of her maker, the angrier she found herself becoming. Matt had slipped in from the back, completely oblivious to what was happening until he was in the middle of it all. Klaus brushed by Nova with a wink and her emerald eyes turned with wrath onto Stefan. They paused for a moment, gaining extra hatred before she sniffed out the only human in the room. As her eyes made their way hungrily towards Matt, Elena jumped first, unable to take the tension anymore.

Nova raised her brows with a hint of pride. Stefan was starting to unhinge. "Aren't you going to do something?" He made the mistake of asking her.

"Yes, Stefan," she grinned, her face changing as it spread, "I thought I'd help."

In a flash she was latched onto Matt's other side. Stefan ran forward and managed to easily get Elena off but neither dared touch Nova. She let Matt fall to the floor just barely breathing when she chose to. Just before he could kiss Death she released him and licked her lips, walking briskly past Stefan back out of the house.

* * *

 **Chapter Titles:**  
(pfftt forgot to do these since chapter 10 oops lmao)

11: Sexual Hallucination - In This Moment

12: You're Mine - Disturbed

13: Together - Avril Lavigne

14: Prelude 12/21 - AFI

15: In the Name of Love - Martin Garrix ft Bebe Rexha (or the Pop Goes Punk cover by Too Close to Touch)

16: Eyes on Fire - Blue Foundation

17: Fallen Angel - Three Days Grace

18: Don't Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers

19: Welcome to New York - Taylor Swift  
(I apologize, I realize now that in the chapter bar I screwed up and wrote "I've" instead of "It's" Been Waiting for You like I did for the chapter itself and let me tell you that just fucked me all sorts of up trying to figure out what song this was LOL)  
(featured song: End of the Dream - Evanescence, Synthesis version)

20: Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright

21: Whatever It Takes - Hollywood Undead

22: Fractured Fairytale - Blackbriar

Part II title: Like You - Evanescence

23: Monster - Vocaloid, GUMI  
(featured song: See You Again - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth)

24: Blood On My Name - The Brothers Bright

25: Natural Born Sinner - In This Moment  
(featured song: Good Enough - Evanescence)


	26. I Fear There Will Be Nothing Good Left

26: I Fear There Will Be Nothing Good Left of You.

"Good to see your pile snooping into my fiance's life has grown about as much as nose with all the lies, little brother," Damon spoke casually when Stefan appeared in his sight. He didn't stop going through his own pile of things from Connor's RV.

Stefan sat opposite his brother with the Vasile grimoire, stacks of papers, and the newspaper. "Seventeen people were found in the woods with their hearts ripped out of their chests. Turns out they were all werewolves." He slapped the paper down in front of Damon. "What's all this?" He gestured to the ravenette's findings.

The elder brother cursed when he saw the article; he knew exactly what that meant. Seventeen was no random number, not for a quantity of wolf corpses without their hearts. "The guy magically appeared just as someone blows up the entire Founders Council. He's covered in a tattoo that only Jeremy Gilbert - of all people in the world - seems to be able to see. Klaus mentioned something about him being one of The Five. Then he kamikazes himself with explosives. Sound natural to you?"

"What's The Five? Does it involve the dead wolves? Because it's not in anything I've found."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, that was Lethia." Stefan's eyes widened. "That's what happens to her because of their link. It's why they had to separate for so long; once the link is opened it seems to linger or something making it easier to corrupt the girls. It drives them mad because it just draws them together and bounces their respective bloodlusts off one another."

"Will it affect Elena in any way? Does it affect you?"

He scoffed. "You're the one with all the Vasile information. What I know is through experience which hasn't happened frequently."

Stefan was still on edge. "How many times has Elena fed from Nova? Before and after she turned?"

"You're just full of questions I have no answers to today, Steffie. The memorial was the first I'd heard of it. Try asking your girlfriend or her sire." The two shared an uncomfortable silence and Damon started going back through Connor's things. "They didn't find any remains at the explosion site. Hunter's not dead."

Stefan remained quiet and looked down at an old photo of Nova staring up at him. "She knows Klaus is alive now," he finally spoke, almost in a whisper. "I called her when Elena had been poisoned but I had called Klaus too and she got there after him."

Damon looked up slowly from his paperwork, almost with a glare. "And how well did she take it?"

"She and Elena attacked Matt when he walked in...I got Elena to stop, but Nova…" He shook his head. "I'm surprised she let him live."

"She did it as a favor to Elena, that's all." Stefan's attention snapped to his brother who spoke to him icily. "Whatever happens next isn't going to be good. I suggest you prepare yourself."

* * *

Elena fumbled hopelessly with the massive bow in her hands. She was surprised Nova had still showed up in the morning to train. She looked over at the ravenette who shot off arrow after arrow without even trying. Her face was calm but it was clearly only a poker face; Elena could still feel her sire's rage beneath. "I should have told you Klaus was still alive."

"And you didn't. Too late to matter now. Get over it." Nova didn't even look at her; she just fired off another arrow that landed perfectly with her others.

The younger vampire tried again to shoot an arrow but it landed in the ground. She fiddled with the bow and cleared her throat. "I uh, I got in touch with Sheriff Forbes and asked her about Zarya Deighton." She noticed Nova stop and look at her through the corner of her eye with her arrow still drawn and ready to launch. "Turns out there's been a missing person report filed by one of her coworkers about two years ago when she never returned from her leave. The girl had gone to Zarya's house and she was just _gone_. Sheriff Forbes went to talk with her when I said she was at the boarding house but her stuff and car was gone."

Nova's eyes didn't move from their corners where they locked with Elena. Her long fingers snapped open and released the arrow, sending it flying into the mass of arrows already deep into one tree. Elena tried again to mimic what her sire was doing so easily, but she couldn't even fiddle the arrow into the bow correctly. Seeing her struggle, the ravenette laughed a little and put down her own bow. She walked up behind Elena, putting her hands over her progeny's, and shuffled her around until they were at the right stance.

"Don't lock your knees," Nova spoke quietly near her ear. "Relax your elbows, and draw the string back. Ah, hang on," she flicked a couple of Elena's fingers off the string, "pointer and middle. Pull, I'm not going to do it."

"Won't it cut into my fingers?"

"If you're an idiot," she smirked. "Pull." Her arm extended back as Elena's did beneath her. "I've seen leaves shake less. It's an arrow."

 _It's not just the archery,_ the brunette though, cheeks starting to warm and turn pink. _You're actually really intimidating...and your perfume smells nice...and your hair really is soft…_

She had closed her eyes involuntarily and the next thing she knew she was releasing the arrow. She cursed loudly in her mind, doe eyes going wide; she hadn't heard Nova say to release yet. The arrow landed loudly in the tree with Nova's practice shots from before, the blue feather of Elena's arrow sticking out against her green in the center. Still Nova didn't back off or let her go. She grinned, leaning her chin on her progeny's shoulder. "See? Not so hard. You just need to feel more than you think."

Elena shivered a little when the ravenette pulled slowly away, gently dragging her fingers across Elena's arms. She turned after a moment to collect herself and found Nova packing up the quivers and arrows. "Did you eat breakfast this morning?" She asked nonchalantly.

The brunette shrugged and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I had half a bowl of cereal…"

Nova started to laugh. "Not what I meant but that's not much better."

"It's still weird to think about, you know? Especially after Matt…"

The Romanian shrugged and put her quiver back over her shoulder. "If you hadn't been there and jumped the gun first I would have killed him without a second thought. Be thankful, not guilty." She clapped her progeny's shoulder comfortingly and started to head out of the forest with Elena staring after her.

* * *

Lethia groaned when she heard them and ordered a shot of the strongest vodka. After everything Klaus Mikaelson still not only walked, but traipsed all over Mystic Falls. She considered snatching up Damon and Nova and fleeing, but they had all gotten in too deep for that anymore. She tipped back the shot and flipped the glass upside down on the bar. Dark circles plagued her amber eyes; she anxiously kept clawing the dirt and dried blood from beneath her nails. When their argument started going south she quickly ordered one more shot, tipped it back, and put down some money. She stood and got barely two steps before groaning up at Klaus.

He smirked down at the blonde wolf. "Pretty thing like yourself looks awfully bent out of shape today."

Lethia scowled, lips twitching. "And you look awfully lively for someone who's supposed to be dead."

"Funny thing about that, you see." She crossed her arms and humored him. "I was going to leave town with this chance at life, but it seems things here keep getting more and more interesting."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, it's not everyday you find out the Brotherhood of the Five is still alive and working and see a magnificent Kross wolf on a self-loathing and starving binger."

"I'm gonna give you sixty seconds to get out of my eyesight or I'll claw your eyes out."

"Fearful of The Five or that I'll see you looking like a mess?"

"How about you just shut the fuck up about The Five?"

"Ah, good, so you _have_ heard of them."

She sighed. "My clan has had a few nasty run ins with them before. My oldest brother killed one once and went mad after…" She looked away absentmindedly. "I had to kill him or he was going to kill all of us."

"You see?" Klaus smirked. "And like that, bygones. Come on luv, work to do."

Lethia snarled up at him. "Piss off. We don't have anything to do. There is no we. I don't care about The Five and I don't care about you after all you've done to Nova."

He laughed a little. "How is sweet Nova? She seemed pretty upset the other night when she saw me as well. I had the sneaking feeling Damon couldn't bear to tell her." She balled her fists at her sides and swung her right as harshly as she could at him. He caught her fist in his hand and shook his head. "And here I would have thought you'd be more of a challenge after chowing down on 17 werewolves' hearts."

Her amber eyes widened with shock and fear. She tried to pull her hand back but he bettered his grip on her and dragged her out of the Grill.

* * *

Elena looked around at Whitmore's campus and then to Bonnie. "Are you sure that you're okay with this?"

The (former) witch shrugged. "If I could spell you out of wanting blood, I would, but I can't, so better you learn this now than at freshman orientation."

Nova looked around at the campus and made a face. "I don't like this place; something doesn't feel right about it."

"Something tells me that college isn't in my future anymore," the brunette sighed.

"Oh, stop with the pity party." Damon rolled his eyes. "If Nova and I can go to college, you can go to college."

"You two went to college?" Bonnie asked with disbelief as they walked.

"Sure, plenty of times. I always had a thing for sorority girls after Nova joined one." He smirked.

"You're disgusting."

"I know." He grinned and Nova punched his arm.

They walked across a good portion of the campus until they reached a class taught by Professor Shane. The four slipped in in the middle of his lecture about witches. Nova couldn't help but roll her eyes as they sat down in the back. "Now, in reality, or in this reality at least, witches appear to cross every culture in history. They're the architects of the supernatural; responsible for everything that goes bump in the night from ghosts to vampires to doppelgängers."

Damon and Nova had to resist making comments or laughing. As they settled in to the class, Elena let out a soft sigh and leaned closer to her sire. "What if I'm a Ripper?" She whispered.

The Romanian rolled her eyes. "You're not a Ripper. Your boyfriend is. I'm sure if he sired someone they'd be a Ripper." She shrugged.

"What if I am?"

"Then pick someone to find out," Damon whispered back.

"That's an awful suggestion," Nova chastised.

He ignored her and started looking around at the class. "Stoner guys are no good to grab. They're too paranoid and you don't want the extra buzz."

She started to groan when her emerald eyes caught sight of a little blonde thing ahead of them. Her brow quirked and she shrugged. "Pretty girl checking herself out in a mirror behind her book."

Damon grinned. "Self absorbed, easily flattered, you just have to separate her from the pack and make your move."

Elena was about to smack them both when Professor Shane's voice broke up the entire conversation. "Am I interrupting you guys? Or is it maybe the other way around?"

Damon smirked slyly. "Sorry, I was just saying how much I love witches."

* * *

Lethia's frown was deep as Klaus dragged her through his mansion to the back. He unlocked a door and showed her Connor all chained up and battered. "He's mum about the Council fire and he's not saying anything about this greater evil we're all supposed to be shivering over."

She snatched her arm back and crossed them both over her chest. "Do I get to know eventually why I'm being dragged around by someone who's supposed to be dead and why he's got a fucking hunter chained up in his red room of pain?"

His eyes lingered on her for an extra moment, a playful smirk spreading on his face. "It's from the Inquisition. I thought it was a nice touch."

Connor let out a grunt. "Didn't think there were any Kross wolves still breathing. This town really does have a pollution problem."

"Stuff it, dick." Lethia snapped. "I don't give a damn about you, or The Five, or anything. Fuck off." She stormed past Klaus and got as far as the foyer before he locked Connor back up and cut her off. She snarled up at him, eyes flashing gold.

"That hunter in there holds the answer to all your prayers."

She laughed. "Jokes on you then - I don't pray to anyone or anything. No one is listening."

Klaus let out an annoyed growl. "Our friend Stefan is going to get some intel from little sister since she doesn't want to talk to me. She fell in love with a hunter once upon a time, you see. That one's already gotten his greedy hands on wolf venom; the last thing we need is him getting ahold of you or Nova."

"What caused your bipolar to give you a mood swing? If you listen very carefully is almost sounds like you give a damn about my existence." She faked a dramatic gasp. "Getting in on my good graces still won't make Nova marry you though." She gave him a pout.

"I had an epiphany in my brush with death," he smirked. "I no longer seek to marry a Vasile."

Lethia started to squirm under his gaze, cheeks slowly turning pink. "S-so, what? You're gonna try for her best friend?!" She jumped back a couple of steps. "Don't you go and try to put any moves on me, asshat!"

Klaus laughed. "Of course not; not when it's evidently so easy for women to fall for my baby brother's shenanigans." She huffed and looked away. "I happen to have information on Zina Vasile neither Salvatore will ever be able to dig up."

Her head whipped back to glare at him. "Then keep it; I'm not working for dirty intel." She stormed past him again and that time he grabbed her upper arm warningly.

"I wasn't asking you to nor do I care about them finding out about Zina. I offered as a kind gesture to you. Perhaps I'll just tell them about the seventeen wolves instead."

She smirked up at him defiantly. "Go ahead. No way they don't already know and not the first time I've done it."

He shrugged. "So be it then. I suppose I'll just have to taunt Nova until she shuts off her humanity again. With your link already affecting the two of you, I wonder how it'll feel to feel nothing entirely. Do you think it'll be another 17 wolves? Maybe 170, or 1700. I understand you're fond of the number seventeen, luv."

She stared up at him helplessly and grit her teeth. It was only downhill from there.

* * *

"She's young and healthy; she'll heal up like a charm. Just keep your eye on the ball. Okay?"

Nova groaned. "It's not a game, Damon."

"Fine, it's not a game. It's a high stakes dangerous maneuver. Now, just go, just like we practiced. That's all you have to do."

They had wandered around after Shane's class looking for someone to test Elena with while Bonnie spoke to the professor. Nova put a hand on the small of her progeny's back and gave her a smile. "You can do it. Feel it, don't overthink."

Elena worked up the courage to go up to the girl and started to compel her when her phone screen caught the vampire's eyes. "Who's that?"

"It's my little sister."

The brunette cursed under her breath and compelled the girl away. Damon sighed with frustration, earning a slap from his fiance. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I just...I saw the picture and I –" Elena stuttered, looking at the ground.

"Everybody is someone's uncle or father or camp counselor or bible study teacher. Elena, you don't know these people, why do you care so much?" Nova questioned as gently as she could. "It's like vegans using the argument what animals are pets and food because all animal lives matter. Some are more necessary to be food than others." She shrugged.

"What's going on?" Bonnie questioned when she returned.

"Nothing. Elena is educating me on the importance of feelings." Damon rolled his eyes.

"Did you talk to the professor?" Elena changed the subject.

"For a second. He found some stuff of my Grams' in his office and he's gonna dig it up for me. Oh, uh, this."

Damon grinned when he saw the flyer. "Oh, nice, the answer to all of our problems. A frat party: douche central." Bonnie's face immediately turned to disgust while Elena looked twice as anxious. "So, what should we go as? Victims or killers?"

* * *

"That's a lot of sired hybrids," Lethia muttered as she peaked out from beneath her door. She realized if she opened it then a wall of hybrids formed until she shut it. With her ear pressed to the floor she could at least hear the conversation below.

"My sister's suitor was unwilling to tell us anything. Rebekah, however, was more than willing to investigate. Isn't that right?" She heard Klaus and held her breath. "My sister's boyfriend threw a slumber party that night. He and his brothers put us all down in our sleep. Elijah, Kol, Finn, and me."

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Cheers, to my sister's uncanny ability to choose men."

 _Dammit, Rebekah, defend yourself!_ Lethia screamed in her head. She contemplated fighting her way through the wall of hybrids.

"Go ahead, Rebekah. Tell him. Tell him what the hunter told you the tattoo leads to. What is this great weapon that could bring about the end of the vampire species?"

Rebekah was quiet; the blonde wolf had hope she wouldn't give in but she did. "A cure. He said there was a cure."

Lethia cursed and jumped up, looking around the room for some sort of distraction. If Rebekah kept talking all she was doing was jeopardizing herself for nothing. She picked up a decorative paper weight and threw it as hard as she could at the window, shattering it and jumping behind where the door would open. As soon as it did and hybrids rushed in she snapped their necks and snuck through the shadows down the stairs.

"What the hell was that?" Stefan questioned upon hearing the glass break.

Klaus laughed a little. "None of your concern. When the hunters drew their final breath that night, the marks disappeared from their body, the map was gone, the brotherhood of the Five extinct. For nine hundred years, there was not a whisper of another hunter, until our friend in there showed up in town."

"You want the cure for Elena, don't you? So you can go back to mass producing your hybrids. That's why you brought Stefan here, because you knew that he'd help you even though he hates your guts! You know what? You can shove your cure right up your arse."

Lethia leaned against a wall in the stairwell trying not to panic. She closed her eyes and ignored the stupidity in trying to use the link _again_. With her heart thumping wildly in her chest, she focused and channeled Nova. She heard bits and bobs about a sword, Jeremy having drawn the tattoo on Connor's arm out, and Rebekah storming out. Her right eye flickered emerald.

"What do you need me to find out?" Stefan asked.

"The map is useless without the tool to decipher it."

"The sword."

"She knows where it is. And you're gonna get her to tell you. You have a chance to save Elena from the very thing that is going to destroy her. You can call it a deal with the devil, if you like. But you know you won't walk away from it."

 _Come on, Nova,_ the blonde thought impatiently. _Before Rebekah tells one of them where the sword is!_

Occupied with trying to open the link, she missed Stefan and Klaus part ways briefly. She finally felt some sort of door to Nova and went to take off to find Rebekah when she was grabbed from behind. Klaus' hand slapped over her mouth; he couldn't see her eye glow emerald for a minute. "Listen carefully, luv," he whispered to her, holding her firmly. "My little sister is not someone to trust secrets with."

"I wanted it back then. The cure. I was willing to leave behind my family for it." Rebekah admitted. Lethia writhed and thrashed beneath Klaus' grip, screaming behind his hand in the hopes that she'd hear. "Would you take it if you had the chance? Or is it just for Elena?"

"A part of me wishes that she and I could have an eternity together," Stefan answered solemnly. "But Damon's right, there's not a single vampire who hasn't killed a human. Elena will kill and then there will be the pain, the guilt, and then…"

"The humanity switch."

"But Elena, she's driven by love; by compassion. If she turns off her humanity, then I don't think we'll ever get her back. So, I'd do anything to save her."

"I envy that. You and Elena. I've always truly envied Damon and Nova since she spilled her bleeding heart to me. I envy the love you have. I really did believe Alex when he said he loved me. He promised we'd be married. We even picked out a church. San Vittore in Brienno. I know you want my help, Stefan. But I just can't do anything that lets my brother get what he wants."

Rebekah was quiet a moment and Lethia still screaming. She tried to be as loud as possible as Klaus dragged her forward, knowing his sister was about to divulge what he needed. "I buried him. Even after everything. I laid him to rest in the place where we were to be married. What kind of hopeless fool does that?" The blonde vampire realized what she was saying and laughed dryly at herself. Finally she could hear Lethia's muffled screams. "Oh, but that's what you wanted to know, isn't it? Because I buried him with his sword."

"I'm sorry little sister, but you're right."

Stefan's eyes widened when he saw Lethia struggling against him. She tried to kick and punch as he tugged a dagger from his pocket. Finally able to slap away his hand on her mouth she yelled at the blonde vampire. "Run, Rebekah! Fuck! Please!"

"You really are a hopeless fool," Klaus told her. Rebekah tried to run but thanks to his deal Stefan stopped her. "You see, sister, the funny thing about the church you picked is that it was opened and ran by a faction of the Kross clan. They consecrated the ground with their leader's wolf blood. Your sweet Alexander knew he'd be buried safely there because you need a Kross wolf's blood to gain entry beneath the dirt." He carefully released Lethia from his grasp but eyed her carefully. "Stay put. We both know I can catch you." He smirked.

"Fine," she huffed, sticking her tongue out at him. She closed her eyes and looked away.

Klaus daggered Rebekah but Stefan couldn't look away from the blonde wolf. Klaus must have found her after her little spiral and gotten the jump on her. He wanted to grab her and run, to bring her back to Nova, but he just found out why she was even there - Klaus needed her blood in Italy. Stefan's hands were tied; the hole he was digging was getting deeper and deeper.

When Klaus grabbed Lethia's hand and started to walk away with her, she looked over her shoulder to Stefan one more time, her eyes open again. He nearly missed it, but her right eye was blazing emerald. Before he could yell and beg her to close the link they vanished out the door.

* * *

"Hey. I'm Frankie, unassuming serial killer."

Nova rolled her eyes and Damon put an arm around her shoulders with a grin. Bonnie immediately darted off to find Professor Shane, leaving Elena behind with Jack the Ripper and his fiance the Blood Countess. "Slimeball doing roofies - ten o'clock," Nova groaned with disgust.

Elena shyly shrugged. "I guess he'd be...a good target, then."

The two ravenettes smirked at one another. "Alright, follow my lead then. Take over when you're comfortable."

The girls walked up to the bar, acting like they'd already been drinking and having fun, and bumped into the roofie guy. "I'm so sorry," Nova laughed.

"Would you like a drink?" Elena offered with a smile.

The guy grinned and took a cup. "Great party, right?" He asked as they started to make their way further back.

"Fantastic," the ravenette purred, fangs popping out. She gave him a good push into the wall, the cup falling from his hands. "You're not going to make a sound." She winked.

When he didn't move, Elena lunged and dug her own fangs into the guy's neck. Nova supervised with a grin. "Now remember the idea is not to kill him," she reminded her progeny. As she watched his blood dripping down his neck she started to feel light headed. The grin slowly vanished, hunger setting in rapidly. Unseen by anyone, her left eye flickered gold a few times. Her mouth started to run dry; it felt like she hadn't fed in days. "The idea is not to kill him…" she breathed, staring at his carotid pumping violently. She inched closer but it was long before she latched onto his other side.

Damon came storming up and pulled both girls off of the guy looking at them both like troubled children. Elena licked her lips and turned to the stranger. "Leave, and forget about this." Without a second thought he vanished into the crowd.

"What the hell was that?" He chastised Nova in particular. "You're supposed to teach her how _not_ to kill."

Nova started to laugh and leaned her back against the cold wall. Blood dripped from her teeth and lips down her chin and dripped onto her chest. She closed her eyes and lolled her head a bit, her hair covering her face so they couldn't see her left eye turning gold again. With both eyes emerald she flung herself at her fiance with her arms around his neck. He could smell the warm blood still on her. "We're good," she assured him, leaning her chin on his shoulder. Her left eye turned gold without wavering. "I want more."

Her eyes returned to normal and she kissed him with a smile, making him relax a bit. Looking to Elena the brunette seemed to agree. With Bonnie out of sight the three took to the rave's floor and sought out their victims. One by one a good handful of the unsuspecting party goers were fed on without even knowing it. Nova in particular bounced person to person so frequently otherwise she might have killed someone. Through the music, however, she started to hear something else. Something inside of her head.

Blood dripped down her chest as she fed from another coed. She started to realize that every time she fed she was getting glimpses of something; a car ride, a charm bracelet, a jet… She started to get angry. Another person to dig her fangs into. That time she picked up an all too familiar accent and flung the victim away from her. "Lethia," she panted, everything around her starting to spin. "Oh Gods," she sobbed, "Thea!" Her hand shot out and grabbed the first person out of the crowd, burying her fangs deep into the girl's jugular mercilessly until she could get a clear picture.

The jet was taking off. Lethia and Klaus were arguing. She needed more before it was too late. In an instant she was ripped from the victim by an ever appalled Damon. "Are you unhinging right now? What the hell is going on?"

She stared up at him at a loss for words. Blood dripped slowly off her lips and her left eye flicked gold. His breath caught in his throat. Elena ran by both of them, the guilt having finally gotten to her. Nova's eye returned to emerald and they both went after the brunette, Nova behind her fiance a few paces absentmindedly.

"I should be here with Stefan. I shouldn't be here with him. I should be going through all this with Stefan." Elena vented to Bonnie outside.

"Relax, you're fine. If anything it was Nova and Lethia's link affecting you," Damon tried to assure her.

"What do you mean?" Bonnie questioned.

Nova came stumbling out, using the wall for support, her left eye fighting to be gold. "Klaus has Lethia," she panted. "She's trying to open the link this time." She looked to Elena apologetically. "I'm so sorry for this, Elena."

"What's going on?" She asked with concern. She took a step towards her sire but Damon stopped her and gave her a push back.

"You and Bonnie need to get out of here _now_." He told her sternly. "Nova, don't you dare do it. We're already in enough shit right now."

"Do what?"

"I'm sorry, Damon, but I have to. She already opened her end. I need to find her before it's too late regardless of what it'll do to me or you two." Nova slid down the wall onto the steps and closed her eyes, desperately trying to regain control of her vitals and open her end of the link.

"Dammit, Nova!" Damon yelled. "You two go, understand?!" When Elena and Bonnie took off running he leaped for his fiance and grabbed hold of her hands that clutched her head as she let out a piercing scream, both eyes blazing gold.


	27. When I Thought I'd Reached the Bottom

27: Just When I Thought I'd Reached the Bottom.

"He could be anywhere by now," Stefan realized frantically. "Damon's been looking everywhere for him, if they cross paths…"

"You'll need to keep Damon in check," Klaus told him over the phone.

"Be a lot easier if I could just tell him the truth."

"You trust Damon with the cure? I imagine he'd go and tell Nova and they both prefer Elena the way she is now. I understand Nova's been a very sisterly sire recently."

"Nice try, Klaus. But I trust Damon a hell of a lot more than I trust you."

"And I trust no one. Which is why my sister is lying daggered in a box. The more who find out about the cure, the more who will go after it. Nations have gone to war over less. You mark my words, tell one soul and I will throw the hunter's sword in the Mediterranean and we can end this quest right now. Am I understood?"

Stefan said nothing and ended the call. Not a moment later his brother's fist was rammed into his nose, breaking the bone and sending him stumbling back. "Oh yeah, brother," Damon snarled at him, "you sure do trust me more than Klaus. So much more that you'll still work with him and not fucking say anything!" Stefan regained his balance and his nose started to heal slowly. Damon punched him again, preventing his nose from healing. "He has Lethia, did you know that? Or that Thea channeled Nova because of such and who the hell knows what will happen to them now?"

The green eyed brother spat some blood and tried again to stand and talk. "Yes," he admitted guiltily, "I knew he had Lethia. He took her to Italy to get the sword he needs. It's protected with Kross blood."

Damon gaped at his little brother before hitting him again and making sure he fell to the floor. "Nova is fucking unconscious right now. Because of that link it caused her to spiral and because she spiraled so did Elena. I don't even know what Nova will be like when she does finally wake up but I hope she puts the wrath of all Hell into you. Lethia already chewed through seventeen wolves; you want a higher count because of you?"

"Does that mean her humanity will be off?" He asked, spitting some more blood.

"You're going to wish it was, Steffie. When she wakes up she's going to be gunning for every vamp that screwed her over ever. You, Klaus, Katherine, you fucking name it."

Stefan's expression fell, fear creeping up his spine. "Lethia didn't look too good when I saw her...like the link had taken a toll on her…"

"Because it fucking did. You're going to wish Nova shut off her humanity instead or that I ripped out your heart right here." He shook his head. Both of their phones went off with a text from the MIA hunter; he had hostages at the Grill. "Also your fault. Good job, Stefan."

* * *

"What is this place?" Caroline asked as they stepped into the living room. "It's beautiful."

"This is Nova's home," Damon replied with a hint of sorrow in his tone. "It was built for her upon her return to town. When she passed out I brought her here. With Klaus having Lethia and Connor on the run around town I figured her own traps and enchantments would make her more protected…" His blue eyes wandered up the stairs longingly.

"Honestly, Nova might be our best bet," Elena spoke quietly from one of the chairs. "She's immune to vervain and wolf venom, right?"

"Even if she wasn't comatose after the link frying her brain I still wouldn't throw her to a hunter. There's too much risk even with Nova immune to vervain and venom."

The brunette bit her lip. "What if sunlight didn't really hurt her either?" All eyes turned on her and she sighed. "When Nova and Rebekah fought at her anti-curfew party and she broke off Nova's daylight necklace the light didn't burn her. Her eyes looked agitated but her skin was fine."

Damon inhaled a sharp breath. Nova had worn her daylight necklace since before she even woke up in transition; he had gotten it done and clasped on her before she woke up. Over a century of constant wear...had her body adapted like it did to the vervain and venom? He tried to not think about it but it was difficult knowing that she could compel Pastor Young on the amount of vervain he had in his system.

Elena's phone rang, breaking the silence. Stefan informed them that there were three hostages - Matt, April, and Jeremy. The brunette started to unhinge slowly. "We have to get them out of there." She jumped to her feet and remembered the tunnels beneath Lockwood manor that led to the Grill. Damon immediately shut her down with Tyler and Caroline in agreement. "If Nova won't wake up then we have to do something! My brother is in there!"

Damon opened his mouth to rebuttal but a thud upstairs caught everyone's attention and they went sprinting. He ran first to Nova's room, finding her bed empty and window open wide. His knees nearly buckled beneath him. "No one else was here," Tyler confirmed quietly. "It's just Nova's scent…"

"She must have woken up," Caroline breathed with a hand over her mouth.

The elder Salvatore stared at the empty bed. "Looks like you get your wish of sending your sire into battle," he told Elena with a slightly breaking voice.

Elena was practically shaking, doe eyes wide and fearful as they stared out the window. "What do you think she'll do…?" She asked in a small voice.

"Depends on how much she heard and knows but Stefan better stay out of her crossfire…"

* * *

Stefan managed to get in and sneak Matt and April out through the tunnels before returning for Jeremy. He found himself tucked behind a counter, Connor's gun to Jeremy's head. He cursed when one of Klaus' hybrids waltzed in trying to be a hero only to get blown to pieces by a booby trap. Stefan tried to talk the hunter down but was having zero luck at all. He was only making Connor more mad.

The front door was kicked open suddenly, causing the green eyed Salvatore to look over the counter. He gasped when he watched Nova waltz in looking as disheveled (if not worse) than Lethia had when he last saw the blonde, only much more malevolent. In fact, Nova looked less terrifying when her humanity was off. He could see the emerald in her eyes getting swallowed slowly by a midnight black.

Connor panicked and took a few shots at the ravenette. She started to laugh and looked down at the bleeding holes in her skin. "That all you've got?" She purred before using her nails to flick each of the bullets out of her skin. The closer she got the more Stefan could see the black ring consuming her emerald. There was only half left around her pupils.

"What the hell are you?" the hunter shook, still holding tightly to the little Gilbert.

Nova let out a disturbing laugh. "Oh honey I'm a monster like you've never witnessed before," she spoke, every word dripping with her accent and venom. Her fangs extended slowly, poking over her bottom lip. "I'm a monster worse than the Original hybrid and the Ripper of Monterey put together." She licked her lips and started to circle him like prey. "I'm much more valuable, not that you'll ever get your filthy hands on me. As a matter of fact, I'm going to rip your beating heart from your chest and eat it before I do the same to Stefan over there."

* * *

Lethia shifted her weight and groaned impatiently as Klaus inspected the sword that was dug up. She tapped her fingers against her opposite arm when her palm started to sting beneath the gauze that wrapped it. Klaus had required her palm being cut open with the only metal she's weak to to ensure she'd bleed enough. She tugged back some of the wrapping and watched (and felt) the torn skin coming together until it healed entirely before her eyes. She accidentally let out a gasp that the hybrid caught.

He arched a brow when he saw the cut on her hand gone, the gauze discarded to the ground. "I know you heal quicker than average but not when cut with titanium." He took her hand, holding it palm up to see for himself. His gaze flicked to her amber eyes and she immediately looked away. "I know you know something, sweetheart."

"Bite me," she snapped back.

He chuckled and gave her hand a little squeeze. Not enough to harm her, just to remind her that he still had a grasp on her appendage. "Maybe if you ask more nicely." He tugged her hand, forcing her a couple of steps closer to him. "How'd you heal like that?"

She defiantly looked him in the eye. "Magic."

He involuntarily let out a low growl; she was becoming extra mouthy. Surely that was no coincidence either. "One more chance, luv." When the blonde shook her head he snapped; his hand moved swiftly from hers to around her throat. He snarled, eyes changing color. In a flash her fangs fully extended, eyes a bright gold but being consumed slowly by a dark outer ring. It took Klaus by surprise and he released her immediately.

Lethia dropped to her knees clutching her head and snarling. "Get the sword and get the fuck out of here," she growled, her messy blonde hair covering her face. "I don't know how long I can hold back."

"Have you lost whatever might be left of your bloody mind?" He snapped back at her, kneeling and trying to look at her. "You know what's happening, Lethia. I'm the only one here with you so you're going to have to trust me this one time."

The throbbing in her skull was growing too unbearable. Her gums ached even with her fangs extended; she needed to tear into something. She let out a groan and forced herself to look at him through the light and pain. "It's my link to Nova," she admitted hastily, eyes filling with tears. "It turns us into absolute beasts...slaughtering the innocent whether human, vampire, or wolf, though we have our flavors and rage fueled compass." She let out a cry of pain, the gold in her eyes desperately fending off the black. "I'll tear the heart out of any wolf in my path until the link is closed."

Klaus brushed some hair out of her face before jumping back up and going over to the human holding the sword. He compelled the man to take the sword to safety and evacuate in a mile radius around the woods. Lethia had fallen over onto the ground in such pain. He stormed back over to the blonde and scooped her into his arms, walking away from the church and towards the woods.

She tried to thrash against him, tears threatening to spill. "I'll find my way home when it's over," she argued painfully. "Please, Klaus, just go!"

He gave way to a soft smile and laughed a little. "If you're going to need a wolf to fight for a little while then it might as well be one who actually stands a chance against you, luv." She could only stare up at him, the gold in her eyes fighting a little harder.

* * *

"Come any closer and I'll kill Jeremy here," Connor spoke quickly, pointing his gun shakily at Nova and Jeremy.

Her head cocked to the side, darkening eyes vacant for a split second. She could hear _them_. They spoke in whispers in all sorts of languages. A sick smirk spread on her pale lips. "No you won't," she purred, stepping closer. "Jeremy can see your tattoo - the mark of the Brotherhood. He's too valuable for you to kill him, let alone innocent and human. Killing Jeremy doesn't benefit you."

"Please don't hurt him!" Came the cry of Elena as she ran in from the back. Nova let out a low snarl.

"Elena get out of here!" Jeremy pleaded.

"You hear that? Your girl is watching." Connor told Stefan. "I will shoot the boy right in front of her if you don't come out and lady vamp doesn't back off!"

Stefan jumped out from behind the counter with his hands held in defense. He nearly shrank back when he got the full look at Nova. Connor, however, turned the gun on the younger Salvatore and turned his back to Nova. The ravenette quickly lurched forward and grabbed the hunter by his throat, knocking Jeremy away. Elena grabbed him just before he hit the floor. Connor and Nova started going blow for blow before Stefan ran in and separated them, rushing off with the hunter towards the tunnels. Elena cradled her brother, both terribly afraid, when the Romanian vampire let out a wrathful growl and sped off to the tunnels as well.

Stefan made it halfway through the tunnel with Connor before they ran into Damon who looked almost half as mad as Nova. "I don't know what you're up to or what Klaus has over you, but even if I have to go through you, I'm gonna kill him."

"You better back off, Damon," the green eyed brother warned.

"Why? Because Klaus wants him alive? Nova wants you dead a hell of a lot more than Klaus wants him alive and she's coming for you. Choose wisely, brother."

Nova's deranged laugh filled the tunnels, making Stefan shiver. He reacted quickly, shoving Connor on. "Run as fast as you can!" He didn't need to be told twice and took off running. Nova laughed again and it sounded closer; both brothers froze momentarily. Stefan grit his teeth and whipped around, rushing at Damon and pinning him to a wall.

Damon scoffed at his little brother and rammed his hand deep into Stefan's chest. "Why are you protecting him, huh? Tell me the truth for once today and maybe I'll spare you from Nova."

"So you can kill me yourself?" Stefan groaned.

"I'm certain it'd be more enjoyable for you than if I do, Steffie."

They both looked over and found the ravenette having joined them. Damon even shuddered when he saw how dark her eyes had become. There was almost no emerald left…

"Tell me what's going on with Nova and I'll tell you about Connor and Klaus," Stefan spoke quickly to his brother.

Damon got a good grip on his brother's heart to make sure he didn't back down from the deal. "It's her link to Lethia slowly eating them away and dragging them into utter darkness. Your turn."

"Connor's tattoo is the key to a cure for Elena."

Nova let out a nasty snarl when she heard Elena's name. She advanced on the brothers but started to fade out, the whispers growing louder. One in particular stood out and practically yelled at her in her own tongue - _prăsilă_. They witnessed some of the emerald fighting against the black and she snarled again before vanishing through the tunnels. Damon let his brother go, both bewildered by what just happened.

"Did it just look like she heard someone tell her something that made her run off?" Stefan asked.

The latter brother stared after his fiance. "I think she did; I think I might have heard it too."

* * *

Elena had felt her sire's rage again but couldn't ignore it. Connor had taken her brother as hostage, gotten him into another mess. She couldn't just let that go. Nova wouldn't have. Damon wouldn't have. She hunted Connor down in the tunnels and got her fangs in him before he flung her off. They were going at it when Nova came whooshing into the tunnel and tackled the hunter away from her progeny. _Prăsilă._ Elena scrambled back, her own fear setting in when she just how malicious Nova had become.

She tried to call Nova's name but the ravenette couldn't hear her past the whispers. She could barely understand most of them but she knew what she had to do: kill the hunter. She advanced on Connor dangerously and he took out a stake to defend himself, making Nova laugh. He rushed at her and started pressing the stake into her skin. She grinned and pressed against the wood, pushing it deeper into her skin. Elena was ready to vomit.

"You missed," Nova hissed in Connor's face. She slapped the stake away and dug mercilessly into his jugular, grinning while he screamed.

The brothers came running into the tunnel, Stefan immediately to Elena's side. The brunette started to babble and pointed to Nova feeding on Connor. The ravenette's head snapped up suddenly and she let out a foul noise that sounded like a growl. Her eyes met Damon's first, immediately freezing beneath his icy blues. Stefan called to his brother who started to trance out the longer he stared into Nova's darkening eyed. Elena starting to panic when she noticed the darkness creeping into his ice grey irises like Nova's.

Everything around him slowed down and silenced. He could start to hear the whispers and all their various languages. He could feel the wrath creeping into him. But worst of all, he could see the emerald light in his love's eyes slowly dying. He snapped back to suddenly and shook his head. "Nova!" He shouted. " _Abbastanza!_ "

As quickly as it tried to take over the darkness dissipated from Nova's eyes. Her emerald irises were revived and she blinked a couple of times in confusion before her eyelids felt heavy. As her eyes started to close, she fell sideways until she hit the ground completely unconscious, blood still dripping down her cheeks and chin.

* * *

Stefan found his brother later that night at his desk, reading one of his journals. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "How is she?" He asked softly.

Damon shrugged, still reading the journal. "She's still out cold. I had to go through six locks to get this." He gestured to the journal. "I needed something to back up your insanity. You figure out how to tell Klaus you lost a hunter and a hybrid?"

"Turns out Lethia started having a freak out because of the link too and they had to take a later flight home. I get to live for another six hours." A silence fell over them before Stefan spoke again. "Damon, what happened when we found Nova? Why were her eyes black…?"

The raven haired brother sighed and set the journal down. "They weren't black. They were _almost_ black. The link was trying to consume her, trying to make her out to be the monster her parents believed her to be. Looking into her eyes was like staring at a black hole consuming everything. I could feel her this time, staring into that black hole. I could almost touch the link if it were a literal object. Getting that close put me in her shoes. I could hear whispers."

"Whispers?"

"In multiple languages. No doubt she couldn't understand most of them."

"So how did you break free _and_ snap her out of it?"

"I could still see emerald in her eyes, fighting and clinging to life. And none of the whispers were speaking in Italian, one of the only three languages she's fluent in." He smirked.

* * *

[Flashback/Vision; 1859]

Dark, onyx hair bounced as the girl walked. She had a basket full of goods on her arm and the sun was setting slowly. She tried to hurry her pace to get home. The setting sun refracted off of her dark hair showing it's sapphire tint; her emerald eyes glowed brightly without a care in the world. She started to close the gap between her and her home when she felt as though someone was following her. Watching her. She looked over her shoulder a few times cautiously but nobody was ever there. On the last time when she turned back around she walked straight into someone.

A young man with light brown waves and devilish blue eyes smiled playfully down at her. "Forgive me, luv, I didn't mean to startle you. It's getting late you know; shouldn't a lovely young woman like yourself be home safely by now?"

She forced a smile and jingled her basket. "That is where I am heading. I lost track of time gathering the week's groceries."

"My sincerest regrets for keeping you, then, luv." He extended a hand to her. "Klaus Mikaelson."

Her lips pursed into a tight line and she hesitantly took his hand. She was tired of him calling her pet names. "Zina. Zina Vasile."

She could see the enjoyment on his face when she said her name and wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run. "Vasile…" He pondered with a twisted smile. "That's a name I have not heard in some time. They mostly resided in Romania I thought, making sure their beautiful young daughters wedded quickly to preserve the family name."

She hid her disgust with a fake smile. "Wonderful for them but I do not seek to marry _ever_. Marriage, children, a family," she shook her head. "The concept was ruined for me a long time ago." She could see the sky growing dark. "If you'll excuse me. Goodnight, Klaus." She hurried past him briskly, frequently checking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed.

On one of her last turn arounds Nova launched up in her bed in the present. The crimson in her hair reflected off the moonlight, sweat pouring down her face and neck. Her emerald eyes were frantic, looking around the room worriedly. She realized she was at her own house but it didn't comfort her any. She shut her eyes and rubbed her face, believing when she opened her eyes that everything was dripping and stained with blood.

Her hands, her bed, the walls, the vanity, it all dripped with blood. Nova's breathing became ragged and she let out a terrified scream.

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Prăsilă_ \- Romanian - progeny

 _Abbastanza_ \- Italian - enough


	28. Welcome to the Nightmare in My Head

**A/N:** Ayee! Finally getting into some good stuff now. I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter, oops lol  
The first few chapters/episodes into season 4 just kill me inside because Elena is soo not on board with vampirism and I needed her corrupt LOL let me just say it can only go downhill from here, really. And I'm having the time of my life writing it.

I've also made a promo for the story that's on youtube and I'm as proud of it as I am this story!  
Check it out and drop a like & thank you all for your continued support; you're what keeps me writing xoxo

 _Monster | Red lips always lie promo_ by _Kuraki-chan_

04x06: We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes

* * *

28: Welcome to the Nightmare in My Head.

Only once the blood vanished as quickly as it appeared did Nova get up from her bed. The moonlight hit the ruby bracelet on her wrist, making it shimmer. She looked at it, wondering if her dream held any truth. She inspected all of her room before forcing herself to shower. The hot water soothed her aching body and relaxed her anxiety. She closed her eyes and leaned into the water. Out of nowhere she started flashing to her first feed and how she demolished the town. She tweaked for a moment and hurried to finish her shower, no longer relaxed or comforted by it.

After she was finally dressed, Nova dragged herself downstairs to make some coffee. Caffeine, she just needed some simple caffeine. For once, she enjoyed the silence.

"Ah, thank goodness I got to you first."

Nova's eyes widened with crippling fear and she turned slowly, not recognizing the girl's voice. She looked the second ravenette up and down in her long, white gown until she realized it was Zina from her nightmare. "Oh I'm losing my shit now," she muttered.

"You killed a hunter, you twit. One of The Five. Yes, you are 'losing your shit' right now." Zina snapped at her. "It's called the hunter's curse. It's about to be an all out war with your own mind."

Nova started looking around the kitchen frantically. "Is this a haunting? I know ghosts are remotely legit in this town. You're a ghost; you're haunting me."

"I am not a ghost," she barked. "You might be able to see them with my bracelet but not me even if I was one. You're going to burn with the rest of us."

Her eyes widened and the coffee maker started going off, signaling her hot coffee done. She turned to check the device and when she looked back Zina was gone. Nova started muttering to herself while she prepared her coffee, being sure to pour some whiskey into the mug. She took one sip and turned around to lean on the counter trying to relax even if it just for a minute.

"Decomposition starts in the first twenty four hours. I'm rotting in an unmarked grave because of you."

She looked up to see Connor and screamed, dropping the mug and sending it crashing to the linoleum floor.

* * *

Stefan looked down at his ringing phone, Klaus' ID staring back up at him. Damon smirked and sipped his bourbon. "Time to face the music. Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."

With a heavy sigh he answered. "I don't want to talk about it."

Klaus chuckled on the other end. "Well, I can't imagine why, what with you ruining all my plans for a hybrid filled future."

"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy."

"Life is full of ifs, Stefan. But let's accentuate the positives, shall we? The hunter was one of five; we'll find another. It may take centuries, but we've got nothing but time, right?"

The brothers exchanged looks. "You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?"

"Not you, if that's what you're worried about. But I am concerned about your beloved, Damon. I was surprised to hear that it was Nova who killed the hunter. Have the hallucinations started yet?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Damon quickly jumped in.

"I'll tell you. Where are you?"

"At the boarding house. Why?" Stefan answered.

"Pity, especially on you, Damon. I would have figured you'd keep your unconscious lover by your side for when she does awake."

"Klaus I swear to God-"

"Even the outside of her home looks nicer than the boarding house. No wonder she'd prefer to spend more time here. Oh and would you look at this, it's even set up inside like your childhood home, isn't it, boys?"

The brothers had already been fumbling for their jackets and scrambling out the door. "If you even lay a finger on Nova," Damon snarled through the phone.

"You'll what? I killed the original five hunters, remember? When one kills a hunter, there's a bit of a consequence."

Klaus ended the call as he snuck in quietly through Nova's back door. He immediately noticed the shattered mug and spilled coffee on the floor. Upstairs he could hear her heart beating rapidly as she tore through her room. He crept on with caution when his phone rang. He had to resist a smirk when Lethia's name appeared on his screen. "I knew I'd get you to call me eventually, luv."

He could practically hear her roll her eyes on the other end. "I need to know if Nova is alright."

A crash upstairs caught his attention. "I'll have to let you know later when I can say for sure."

"Listen," her voice shook, "I don't care what it'll cost me later, but please, Klaus, just make sure she's alright. Don't hurt her. Please. For me."

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs with one hand on the rail. Something twinkled in his blue eyes. "I won't let Nova Vasile die by some hunter's curse, Lethia. You have my word." He ended the call and made it halfway up the stairs before the Salvatore brothers came running in, Damon first.

"What's going on with Nova?" He demanded.

"The hunters were spelled by witches to kill vampires; if you prevent one from fulfilling his destiny then he'll take you down with him." Klaus answered simply.

"What do you mean?" Stefan questioned. "Connor is dead."

"I mean, Connor's death won't prevent him from making Nova his final vampire kill. She'll need to come with me now. I'll lock her up, keep her away from any sharp wooden objects."

"Like hell you will!" The elder brother argued. "She's not going anywhere with you! Especially not since you kidnapped Lethia already!"

"Well, if we leave her alone, she'll take her own life before the day is out."

"She's stronger than that."

Nova let out a furious scream and one of her sai blades went flying down the hall, sticking in the door at the end. "Is she? Believe me, it's for her own good."

* * *

Sweat was starting to pour down Nova's head and neck. Her hair was in disarray and emerald eyes bloodshot. She angrily flung her hair into a ponytail when it kept getting in her face. She could hear them, every last one of them, begging for mercy again. Every man and woman she ever fed from and never gave a chance to live their lives. It was always either feed and erase or feed and kill, the latter being a good chunk of her vampire career. She was digging through her closet, flinging off the shadows of the deceased. She found a box she thought she had been looking for and started furiously searching through its contents on her floor.

"This town has made you weak. Pathetic."

Nova's eyes widened with immense fear when she heard the voice behind her. Her lead lifted slowly, body frozen where she sat. Her breathing became labored, heart nearly beating out of her throat and mouth. Slowly she turned and faced the voice, staring into the emerald eyes made of ice by Alina Vasile. " _Mamă_ …" She choked out.

Aline stood in her bedroom doorway menacingly, preventing her from exiting unless she jumped out her windows. She looked the same as the day she died, clad in a dark black and silver dress with blood all over. She stared down at her daughter with scrutiny, her nose scrunched up in disgust. "Would you like some? You seemed to enjoy it when you drink from me."

"I wasn't myself," she argued back. "You and _tată_ ruined me."

"We tried to make you the best, child. And you abandoned us, turned into one of these _beasts_ , and came for us. You are a monster and you deserve to die."

"I may be a monster but I don't deserve to die," Nova snarled, losing her patience.

" _Monstru. Pieri. Muri._ "

She clutched her head and growled before diving to her bed and grabbing one of her sai blades beneath the pillow. With a quick flick she hurled the blade right at Alina, but the woman vanished, leaving the blade to go down the hall and stick in the door at the end. Nova's eyes got big and she let out an angered cry.

"You're a monster and you deserve to die, Vasile." Her head whipped around and found Connor standing before her. He gave her a harsh shove onto her bed, glaring down at her. "Your whole line should be decimated by now. What makes you so damn special?"

She started to cry and thrash, flashing back to 1858 on the cold, metal table. An icy chill ran through her body; she could feel the leather and chain restraints being put on her. She flailed and reality showed her that she wasn't captured again and Connor had vanished. Frantic, she grabbed her other sai blade and ran to her door.

Damon caught her at the top of the stairs, desperately trying to hold onto her. "Nova, Nova it's me! It's really me! Relax, please!" He pleaded to deaf ears. She looked up at him but all she could see was blood dripping from his eyes and mouth. She let out another cry and gave him a good shove down the hall.

She made it halfway down the stairs before Stefan caught her in an attempt to back his up brother. The moment she looked into his eyes she was back under water. Without hesitation she threw him over the side rail into the living room wall. Her eye twitched and she ran down the rest of the stairs and out the front door. One foot made it onto the step before Klaus grabbed her from behind. She fought him, but in the state she was in he whisked her away, leaving only her sai blade left on the ground.

* * *

"Let go of me!" Nova screamed, wriggling around over Klaus' shoulder. She pounded on his back and kicked around to no avail.

"Certainly." He flung her gently onto a large couch. "I apologize for the lack of windows; it's to preserve the art. And of course to prevent you from taking off your daylight necklace and burning yourself to death in the sun."

She flinched, Alina's cold words haunting her again. "I'm not going to kill myself. I would never." _That puts Lethia in danger..._

"Oh but you'll want to, little SuperNova." She made a face. "I did. For fifty-two years, four months, and nine days. I was tormented, in my dreams, my every waking moment, relentless, never-ending torture. It was the only period of my life when I actually felt time. That's why the hunter was meant to be kept alive."

She was quiet and curled her legs up on the couch. She didn't look him in the eyes. "How did you make it stop…?"

It took him a moment to admit. "I didn't. Eventually it just..stopped. You're going to have to fight off the hallucinations no differently than you would someone real, Nova."

She looked up at he turned to leave. "Is Lethia okay? I know you've been the last to see her...and that she can't see me like this…"

Klaus didn't turn around but chuckled, his hand on the knob. "You two care more about one another than yourselves like fools. Don't say I didn't warn you."

The door shut and locked, leaving Nova alone in the dimly lit room. After a minute she stood and walked over to where a window would have been and sighed. A chill ran up her spine, a new hallucination appearing behind her. "It's about time somebody locked you up."

Her heart broke a little but she refused to turn around. "I know you're not real," her voice cracked. "You're not my Lethia."

The blonde hallucination grinned, baring fangs. "That's what makes this extra fun."

* * *

Klaus heard the familiar patter of Converses enter the Grill; what he hadn't expected was the sound growing closer to him. He calmly drank a glass of red wine when a mass of blonde plopped down beside him. He couldn't help but smirk over his glass. "To what do I owe the pleasure, little wolf? I didn't expect to see you so willingly so soon."

Lethia smiled softly and surveyed the liquor counter for what she wanted. "I'm only mildly confused, you see; you just let me go, and now I hear Nova has been holed up in some panic room of yours."

"Ah, they sent you to sweet talk me. Well, good form, but I'm afraid I can't do it."

She quirked a brow, still looking at the alcohol. "Do what?"

"Release Nova. I'm not gonna burden you with the gory details, I know you have enough on your plate already, but this is as humanely as I can do it so she doesn't hurt herself or anyone else."

She ordered an old brand of vodka on the rocks and turned and looked at him, still smiling softly. "I didn't come here because anyone asked me to. As far as everyone is concerned you have both Nova and I." She shrugged and the bartender brought her drink. "Thank you," she told him quietly, her lips brushing the glass.

Now Klaus was confused. "What the bloody hell are you thanking me for? And why haven't you gone and checked in with the Salvatores or company?"

Lethia laughed. "I know you're doing this in Nova's best interest. I had to put my own brother down. So, thank you."

He stared at her a moment and blinked. "What brings the sudden change in attitude, hm? You've been awfully nice to me since the plane out of Italy."

She took a breath and puffed up her cheeks before letting it go in a sigh. "If you hadn't been there when the link started to take us over, I don't know what I would have done. A lot of innocent people and wolves would have been murdered in my wake and I would have had to run for a few decades before I could be near Nova again. I wouldn't have been able to return to Mystic Falls. We would have slaughtered the town, even the state."

Klaus half smiled. "Well I certainly couldn't have that, even if your best friend wasn't your reason for returning."

Lethia brought her glass to her lips and smiled. "Yeah."

* * *

Nova sat on her knees with her forehead against a wall, claws digging into the sheetrock over and over. There were slashes and slashes gouged into the wall by her nails. Shavings had piled up on the floor. Her hallucination of Lethia laid across the couch naming off all of her victims for the last two hours. "Man, you've killed so many people. And for what?"

"To survive." The ravenette replied weakly, her voice hoarse.

"Mm, I don't know about that, Nov. You didn't _have_ to kill all those people. You snatch, eat, erase all the time. Yet all these victims whose blood you danced in…"

"I didn't and don't dance in blood."

Lethia rolled her eyes. "So literal whenever someone is pointing out your flaws. Very well, then you may as well have bathed in the blood. You were always covered head to toe. Being the Blood Countess at that frat party suited you."

"Shut up," she groaned.

"Do you know what they did to her - Elizabeth Bathory? She was imprisoned for life in a room in her own castle that was boarded up with tiny slits for food and air. Elizabeth lived for 3 and a half years before she was found dead lying face down on the floor. I suppose it'll be different since you're a vampire; you'll only dessicate without human blood. I wonder if you're related to Elizabeth Bathory. That'd be funny."

Nova snapped her head around, glaring coldly at the hallucination. "Forgive me for enjoying what I eat."

"You used to be like Elena once, reminded that everybody is something to someone else. Someone's father, brother, bible study teacher," she sat up and smirked. "Just because you've outlived and murdered your own family doesn't mean the same for everyone. Humans have families. Connor was somebody's brother, son, friend. And now he'll never come home to them."

"Don't give a _fuck_ ," the ravenette spat back. "He wanted to play vampire hunter."

"Yeah, you didn't give a fuck about your own parents either. Just marched in there without a plan or care in the world. No thought of what the consequences coming out of that castle might have been like us being linked together. Do you have any idea how badly that fucked up my life?"

"Welcome to the club. We meet every full moon because we go on murder sprees."

Lethia stood slowly, amber eyes deadly. "That link is going to kill us one way or another. It made me a strong enough monster to stand by your side. To be forced by your side. You live so recklessly even though it kills me slowly."

"My Lethia had blood on her hands before the link. Get bent."

"And it doubled - tripled even - after, didn't it? My hands were only stained with past blood. Blood _I_ took as a means of surviving. You made them drip with blood. And at the end of all of this, you will realize all the damage you've done and you'll fix it by ending it."

Nova smirked up at her. "That won't fix shit if it kills Lethia too."

The blonde frowned, clearly annoyed. "Alright, you don't want to listen to me? Fine." She nodded and vanished into the darkness of the room.

The ravenette exhaled a deep sigh of relief and dragged herself back onto the couch. She closed her eyes and relaxed for barely a minute before a chill ran down her spine again. "How about you and I have a little chat?" She jumped up off of the couch and let out a scream when Katherine Pierce stared back at her with a smirk.

* * *

Lethia leaned back and laughed. Truly _laughed_. Klaus couldn't take his eyes off of her; the way her hair jostled around, her cheeks and chest started to turn pink. Her melodic laugh resonated through the Grill but she didn't care. That was probably one of his favorite things about her: she knew how to have fun. When she finally calmed down and wiped a couple of tears from her eyes, both of their phones went off and she groaned.

"Oh come on, I finally get to go out and enjoy myself and you idiots still have to pull some shenanigans?" She sighed when she saw a message from Damon.

Klaus' expression had turned sour as well. "Let me guess, you've got a message from Damon?"

"Yep," she popped the 'p'. "Numnuts tried to break Nova out and she went bat shit. Ran off and stole her car." She rubbed her face tiredly, anxiety starting to grow.

"Well that explains why Stefan miraculously found a supposed cure for the hunter's curse."

The blonde jumped from her seat, grabbing her jacket. "I have to find her before she does something stupid. I don't have a lot of faith with Nova's life in Stefan Salvatore's hands."

He got up quickly to stop her, putting a hand gently on her chest. "Slow down, little wolf. Have you any idea where she would have run off to? Right now the curse is giving her hallucinations to make her guilty enough to kill herself."

She chuckled sardonically. "Nova Vasile doesn't feel guilt or suicidal thoughts. She knows her death would not only take her away from Damon but end mine as well."

"Another reason I had her locked away safely," he muttered with annoyance. "But of course the Salvatores always must intervene."

Lethia stared up at him with bright, amber eyes. She hadn't missed what he meant. For some reason, in that second, something clicked. "Wickery Bridge!" She exclaimed suddenly. He looked down at her curiously. "She's always had an issue with water having died by it at least twice already, one of which turned her. Elena died with her blood in her system going over Wickery Bridge and Nova dove in hoping to save her."

"It seems logical, sure, but how can you be so sure?"

"Stefan drowned her because he blamed her."

"For what?"

She bit her lip when she looked into his eyes. It wasn't her story to tell but she knew she needed to before it was too late. "Everything. If the council hadn't come for Katherine then he and Damon wouldn't have gotten shot. He wouldn't have turned into a Ripper."

Klaus nodded. "Wickery Bridge it is than. Problem is that you'll never make it there in time, not before she does. You may be fast on all fours but not faster than her Firebird."

She pouted a little, looking away. "Yeah I know," she grumbled. "We've tried. Not even my Maserati is faster." She was startled for a second when he held his hand out to her with a smirk.

"I just might be."

* * *

"You were never supposed to be in the picture," Katherine told Nova from the passenger's seat of the Firebird. "If I'd known you were alive sooner I would have killed you then. Prevented you from ever getting on that boat."

Nova tried to ignore her by turning up the music. Unfortunately her favorite rock station had been on, Three Days Grace's 'Get Out Alive' blaring through the speakers. She snarled and slammed the button off.

"You turned Bonnie's mom but didn't give a damn about her, did you? Do you think she's gone crazy and killed herself yet?" Katherine continued. "It's just so weird that you care so much about Elena being your - what do you call it, progeny? Oh that's right, you killed Abby Bennett with intent. Elena was an accident. Accidents cause more guilt. You took her human life away from her which meant everything to her. Maybe you should give up the life that means everything to you."

"I'm not going to fucking kill myself, Bulgarian _curvă_."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Only because of Damon. That's always been your excuse for everything. Without him you have no purpose. No reason to live. But if he didn't propose than you'd still just be his little lap dog. How pathetic. Both brothers loved me."

"Are you ready to die yet?" Came Connor from the back seat. She glanced into her rearview mirror and saw him. "You know it's your only way out of this." Nova flicked the mirror away and stomped on the gas pedal.

Katherine laughed a little. "Weren't you in a hurry like this the night you left Damon? Why did you do that again? Oh right, he was still looking for _me_. You can't take back what you did. It can never be undone. You're a monster. You deserve to die."

She grit her teeth and stared at the road ahead, stomping the pedal onto the floor. The speedometer was reaching its max. She started flashing back to that night in the 90s; she saw all the info Damon had found on Katherine hidden in their apartment. She snapped. It all went flying around the room. Glass broke. She stuffed a back with random clothes and personal items. She shook her head furiously to return from the memory but when she looked down her hands and the wheel were covered in blood.

"You were even the one to sell me out to the council. You're the reason Giuseppe shot his boys in cold blood and they died with my blood in their systems. Because you didn't think and you gave me up."

Nova slammed on the brakes suddenly, stopping halfway across Wickery Bridge. Katherine started to laugh, seeing the panic in her emerald eyes. "So _that's_ where your guilt is buried. After all these years it's that. Which means the brothers still don't know it was you who got me killed. That's why you were so mad that I wasn't dead; because I'm a loose end. I know your secret, your guilt."

"Shut up!" She cried, practically throwing herself out of the car after slamming it in park. She scrambled over to the edge and gripped the wood for support, trying to steady her breathing.

"I'm surprised you have lived this long," Zina told her calmly, staring off at the horizon. The darkness of the night was beginning to lighten. Dawn was breaking. "I'm not sure if I should admire you for it, or continue to spite you."

Nova was starting to pant, barely able to breathe, and turned her head to look at the raven haired hallucination. "How the hell can you spite me if I don't even know you?"

The look in Zina's eyes was cold, her countenance devoid of any emotion. "I was murdered May 8, 1860 by the hands of Klaus Mikaelson. The very day you got on the boat to America."

"I still don't understand what that's got to do with me."

"Perhaps you would if the hunter's curse wasn't fogging up your brain. But then again, you wouldn't be enduring this if you had been the second born daughter. It would have been you to die at Klaus' hands." Nova leaped back a good foot and finally took a good look at the girl before her. Her law dropped slowly when she realized the similarities. "Your link with that Kross wolf weakened you significantly. When the hunter's curse stepped it it gave me a window. Good to see my sister was daft enough to steal my bracelet back at least. But it's time for the Vasile line to truly end."

The elder vampire's breathing had become ragged. She stepped back, bumping into the bridge's rail and looking over into the water. Zina approached her and gingerly fingered the lapis lazuli pendant around her sister's neck. "I always found my bracelet more useful," she mused before tearing the piece of jewelry off and tossing it into the river. "You are a monster, Nova. And you deserve to die."

" _Nova!"_

She stared into the emerald eyes of what would have been her little sister. Her twin sister. She couldn't move. A tear involuntarily slid down her cheek.

" _Õde!"_

Anger crossed Zina's face, but she vanished before Nova's eyes. A blur of blonde and gold started becoming clearer to her. Lethia ran, her Converses pounding hard against the road, straight for her raven haired best friend. She could see the sun coming up over the mountains but no speck of blue on Nova's chest. She wasn't wearing her daylight necklace.

Lethia kept running until she flung her arms around her oldest friend. "I'm real, you hear me?" She spoke into the girl's dark hair. "We may have found a way to break the curse but you've got to hang on, okay?"

Tears started streaking Nova's pale face. "Thea…" She choked.

The blonde's amber eyes looked up, staring into the rising sun. She smiled softly and gripped Nova tightly. "Just hold on, Nov. Hold on." She shifted their weight and leaned over the edge until they splashed into the river below.

* * *

She started to stir slowly, coming to with a small groan. When her eyes opened, her emerald irises glimmered with life. She sat up slowly and found her pendant dangling around her neck again. She held it tenderly in her palm, thinking of Lethia and Damon.

"Thea fished it out of the river for you," Damon came softly. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "It's really funny watching a dog in the water."

Nove curled her legs up to her chest and he sat beside her, wrapping his arms around her soothingly. "That was probably the worst experience of my entire life," she admitted. "I knew though - I knew I couldn't, that I wouldn't, kill myself. It wasn't me that took my necklace off. I knew it wouldn't kill me…"

"I heard something about that happening at the anticurfew party. What happened, _dolcezza_?"

She drew a long breath and explained what happened with Rebekah in her kitchen. Then he asked about how her necklace ended up in the river. She started to shake, tears brimming in her eyes. "Her name was Zina," she choked out. "Zina Vasile. She said - she said she was my twin sister, the second born and given away as a baby. She told me Klaus killed her the day I got on the boat to America. There's no way she was just a hallucination, I never even knew about her before."

"So how could you see her now if she wasn't just a hallucination?"

She held up her right arm and slipped off the ruby bracelet, showing him the inscription. "She was real, Damon. Because of the link and then the curse I was weak enough for her to get to me with her bracelet. _Her bracelet._ The only thing that proved who she was and even then she had a fancy name and a peasant's clothes for a mangled corpse because Klaus just left her to die."

"What are you talking about?"

"I had looked into my family before after Elena hit her head and slept on the couch. I couldn't find much other than a death certificate and stolen item report. She was a poor Jane Doe and the police found her alone in her home with her heart ripped out of her chest and this bracelet on her. But it was too nice for some poor girl to have and they didn't know who she was so they called the body Zina Vasile. Next thing you know the bracelet was snatched off her corpse before it went in the ground. Locals believed it just Jack the Ripper's early work."

Damon stared off with bewilderment at the thought of Zina Vasile and her tragic story. He rubbed his fiance's arm soothingly. "We'll figure it out, _dolcezza_ , I promise. In the meantime, Stefan's been sneaking around because it turns out this cure nonsense might be real after all."

She looked up at him with bright eyes. "There might be a way out of all this madness for Elena? A cure for her?"

He smiled and rubbed his thumb across her cheek. Even after everything she still didn't want to be human again. She wanted Elena to be. "Yeah, there may be a cure for her."

* * *

Klaus thought he not only heard someone just waltz into his mansion, but that they worse Converses too. He kept working on his painting, listening to the footfalls climb the stairs, until he smelled lilac and sugar. He tried to ignore it, slashing his brush across the canvas, when she started to giggle. "Be careful when taking your anger out on canvas," Lethia teased with a wink. She leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed and jacket discarded on the floor below.

"You've surprised me again, little wolf," he commented, still painting. "And this time you worked up the nerve to just walk into my home."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Are you really going to bitch about it? Because I can go, if you'd prefer."

He turned finally to make sure she wouldn't make good on the threat. "Don't," he told her quickly. When she smiled back at him he set down the brush and used a rag to get the paint off his hands. "Did you make it to Nova in time?"

"I did." She pushed herself off of the frame and started to walk around the room, looking at all of the paintings both finished and not. "But only because you're a cheater." She snickered.

He started to laugh, his eyes following her around the room. "Is that so? What, per se, makes me a cheater?"

"You were a wolf once and you would have been at the same speed as me if you didn't cheat and get to be a vampire too."

He had started following her slowly around the room, pacing around each other carefully. "If you wanted to, in theory, you could 'cheat' as well, luv."

"I suppose I could, sure. But we don't know what that would do to my link with Nova."

Klaus scoffed. "You're always thinking of Nova. I wonder what you'd do if you thought selfishly for once; if there was no link to Nova anymore."

She smiled. "Sorry to burst your bubble, _armastaja_ , but link or no link I'm actually quite boring and I'd still be Nova's right hand and in Mystic Falls if she was."

He had stopped, causing her to finally run into him. He stared down at her curiously, being around so long that he knew the Estonian language well enough. He knew what she said. His hand reached up and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "At least I'd have that as a guarantee than."

Lethia smirked and stood tall against him, ever so slightly leaning into his hand. "Are you trying to hit on me after attempting to force my best friend's hand in marriage to take control of her family line?"

He started to laugh a little. "This coming from the little wolf who's been flirting with me all day when she'd been staring at my baby brother who actually slept with her best friend, _armastaja_."

Oops. She hadn't been sure if he spoke Estonian or not but clearly he did.

She winked and shrugged. "Maybe you just couldn't follow my gaze to see which brother I had actually been staring at."

Lethia moved to brush by him tauntingly but jumped when he swiftly caught her upper arm. She looked up and found him staring back down at her. She desperately hoped he couldn't hear her heart pounding beneath her chest. The two started to smirk, each bringing a finger to their lips, something playful and lustful in their eyes. In a flash he had her against a wall with her legs around his waist kissing furiously.

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Monstru_ \- Romanian - monster

 _Pieri_ \- Romanian - perish

 _Muri_ \- Romanian - die

 _armastaja_ \- Estonian - lover


	29. Red Lips Always Lie

29: Red Lips Always Lie.

"I'm starting to see Nova more and more in Elena," Stefan told Caroline over the phone, doing push ups in the woods. "They're always together, like she's taken Elena protectively under her wing."

Caroline was running about prepping Miss Mystic Falls. "That probably wouldn't have been such a bad thing if they weren't big, fat crow wings," she complained with a scowl. "It's depressing, watching Elena want to be like Nova."

He stopped and sat down on the ground. "Oh, I'm not depressed. I just want to rip into someone's artery and feed until I can't breathe anymore."

The blonde stopped in her tracks. "Well, you can't. As your sober sponsor, I am not going to let that happen. Try and sublimate otherwise you're no better than them."

"I don't think being a vampire would have changed Elena this drastically if it wasn't Nova to turn her." The sound of something hitting a tree and crunching leaves caught his attention nearby.

Caroline walked outside and noticed Nova sitting on a table while Elena worked on some Miss Mystic Falls decorations. "Look, I got to go. Be careful. And remember, there is sublimating and then there is insanity."

"I'll be fine," he assured her as he stood and started to creep towards the noise. "I've got to check something out. Bye." He stalked silently towards the source of the sounds until he caught a mass of blonde hair and ducked behind a tree for cover. Peering around, he actually had to cover his mouth to prevent giving himself away when he saw Klaus and Lethia together. He tried to quickly turn tail and run but clipped a branch on his turn around. In the quickest of seconds Klaus had him in a chokehold against a tree.

"In what world do the words "tell no one" mean tell your brother and every teenage sycophant in town?" The hybrid hissed. "You'd lose your tongue back when times were still fun."

Lethia came into Stefan's blurring sight and put her hands comfortingly on Klaus' arm that didn't have him in a chokehold. She stood on her toes and told him something quietly. He couldn't understand the Estonian fully, only Nova's name. " _Ta on Nova tappa._ "

"The secret's safe." Stefan tried to assure him. "No one who knows about the cure will endanger us. Trust me, you know I want to find it more than anyone else."

Klaus looked down at Lethia and back to the olive eyed Salvatore. "That's debatable, mate. I suggest you find some more vampires for Jeremy to kill before I'm tempted to offer you up as a victim." In one swift movement he released Stefan and let him drop to the ground, coughing. "And try and keep this one to yourself, would you?" He warned dangerously, snaking an arm around the blonde wolf beside him. "Otherwise I _will_ cut out your tongue."

Stefan hastily scrambled to his feet and sped away without looking back. He went back to the boarding house and straight to his room to clean up and pack a bag of things to train Jeremy with. Coming back down he ran into Damon. "Where have you been?" the elder brother questioned.

He shrugged. "Ah, you know, out."

Damon looked at him disapprovingly. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

He sighed. "Okay, I see shady Stefan is back. Please don't tell me you're still working with Klaus."

Stefan stomped up to his brother and looked him in the eye, rage threatening in his eyes. "You want to know what's up? Elena and Nova. That's what's up. She's always with Nova, becoming like Nova, talking about Nova; for fuck's sake Damon, Elena's drank her blood on more than one occasion. Has it been the other way around?" They were silent for a moment, neither looking away from the other. "Where is Nova, right now?"

Damon's lips pursed into a tight line. "Out with Elena... I'll be quick then. So, apparently, if we want to find the cure, we have to find a vampire hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the map on the hunter's mark. Now, unless we want Jeremy to go all Connor two-point-oh, I suggest we find a different hunter."

The younger brother pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, and?"

"And I was gonna ask Professor Shane, but turns out he's shadier than you are. Matt Donovan connected him and the Pastor through phone records. Apparently, the two were very chatty the day that the Pastor blew up the Council."

"Ah, so you're gonna confront Shane, threaten him, possibly kill him, that sort of thing."

"Yeah, unless he tells me what he's up to." He smirked and pat his little brother's shoulder. "What do you say? Should we tag team this?"

Stefan shook his head, expression cold. "Nah, I'd say you're on your own. I've got to make sure your fiance doesn't entirely corrupt my girlfriend." Without another word he brushed briskly past Damon and out the door.

* * *

"Remind me again why Nova is here?" Caroline muttered as she and Elena worked on flower arrangements in vases. "Especially since she looks positively miserable."

Elena shrugged. "I asked if she would come with to make sure I don't derail or anything. She's never been big on girly things like pageants."

"That's probably best because the judges would lose their minds from her choice in eye makeup and red lipstick. You've been spending an awful lot of time with her, I'm surprised you haven't crossed over to the daily smokey, racoon eye yet."

She made a face and laughed a little. "No, Nova knows I'm not huge on makeup. I've seen the way she does hers. Besides, I've been helping with wedding ideas and she's been a great teacher."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I've never drank from any of my teachers."

The brunette's face heated up immediately. She turned away from her friend, lips pursed into a tight line. Across the way Nova disguised a snicker as a cough. She peered over her sunglasses and sat forward when she saw creepy Professor Shane walk up to the other two girls. He looked like a lost puppy and they were positively confused. Once he walked off Nova slid onto the table Elena was using to work on vases. "What's up with the creepy professor? Got a thing for high school pageant girls?"

"Professor by day; pageant judge by other day." Elena made a face.

"In spite of being absurdly unqualified, he's apparently awarding a scholarship." Caroline frowned.

The ravenette jumped off the table and cracked her knuckles. "Well if that doesn't just sound like absolute bullshit. I'll tail him, see what he's really up to."

The blonde vampire scoffed, arms crossed over her chest. "No offense or anything, Nova, but I don't really think you can tail a pageant judge."

Nova stepped up to the blonde and took off her sunglasses, looking down at her by a couple of inches. She'd never admit it, but it actually intimidated Caroline. "I used to tail Black Ops soldiers of whatever kind and specialty and slit their throats when they got too close to my family's castle. When I was human. I assure you I've done much stealthier since turning."

Elena bit her lip and kept working on vases to avoid them seeing her smirk and her chuckling. Caroline took a quick step backwards and Nova slipped her sunglasses back on with a smirk. She wouldn't make eye contact even through the glasses for a few minutes. "Why don't you actually do me a favor and go get Lethia."

The Romanian's face scrunched up. "What for?" She questioned protectively.

Finally Caroline looked back up at her. "She asked me a while back about Miss Mystic Falls; she seemed really interested. So I signed her up to at least participate in this year's."

She was taken back, it even showed in her eyes behind her sunglasses. "Isn't that your job, to round up the dolled up girls?"

"I tried before coming here; I checked the boarding house and your house. She hasn't answered her phone all morning either."

 _She's been too calm,_ Nova thought.

Caroline bit her lip. "The last we heard of Lethia, Klaus had her…"

 _Far too calm then,_ she added. _I know the link isn't closed, I can still feel it…_ Her tongue flicked over her teeth and red stained lips. "Then he would have dangled her as bait by now," she spoke coldly. "You want to go storm his mansion? Fine by me. Until a guy who's supposed to be dead gives me incentive, I'm not giving him a home field advantage again."

Elena finally turned and looked to the blonde with a small grimace. "It's true, though, that Klaus would have used Lethia against Nova by now...maybe she got away and she's hiding from him?"

 _I'd feel that, wouldn't I…? If she was so scared that she would have to run?_

Caroline huffed and slammed her clipboard against the ravenette's chest. "Fine, I'll go piss off Klaus. Let's see how you fare setting up a pageant while I'm gone without compelling or murdering anyone."

Nova grabbed the board and read through the pages as the blonde stormed off to her car. Her lip pulled up with disgust. Elena laughed a little and slipped the clipboard out of her sire's hand.

* * *

Caroline stared with wide eyes as she pulled up beside a golden Maserati in Klaus' driveway. She got out of her own car slowly, unable to take her eyes off of the '67 shimmering in the sunlight. She walked up to the front door, finding it cracked open still. Looking down she realized there was a black converse stuck in it, preventing it from closing. She couldn't smell any blood or really hear anything; the closer she got her ears picked up on some kind of faint noise. Laughing? She picked up the shoe and stepped into the foyer, looking around cautiously. Her jaw dropped, shoe slipping from her hand and tumbling to the floor.

Lethia stared back at the blonde vampire with guilty eyes and Klaus' hands on her hips. Caroline started to stutter, at an absolute loss for words. Lethia's lip jutted out in a pleading pout. "Please, please, please do me a solid and don't say anything, ever, at all, Caroline. Stefan already busted us this morning and if this gets back to Nova before I talk to her then Mystic Falls might get to see a Supernova up close and personal."

"This isn't happening right now," she told herself. "I can't imagine why you wouldn't Nova Vasile to find out out of all people. I mean, the rest of us at least attempted in keeping Klaus being alive a secret from her because he literally made her shut off her humanity and already almost bring a Supernova to town. Maybe it's got something to do with literally tearing her mind to shreds, spelling her into a room only she can't escape, and trying to force her to marry him? No, I can't imagine why you wouldn't want Nova to find out!"

Klaus moved to step in front of the blonde wolf but she scowled and put a hand on his chest, stopping him in his tracks. She marched up to Caroline and stared her in the eye with a hand on one hip. Caroline was at least glad Lethia wasn't also taller than her. If anything the wolf was almost shorter. "That's funny that you give a damn about Nova suddenly because last I heard you and Stefan talking, you were both complaining about the way and the fact that Nova's teaching Elena how to be a vampire and not want to kill herself like you and Stefan generally do! But neither of you will ever tell Nova to her face because you both know she's alpha. She'll tear your throats out if she wants to and if she doesn't then I will be glad to."

Klaus smirked with a hint of pride behind the girls while they viciously stared down one another. A smirk started to grow on Lethia's face and her eyes flashed a golden glow. Caroline only gave the smallest reaction before quickly composing herself. "Yeah, well, I had signed you up for Miss Mystic Falls!" She shouted back at the wolf, breaking her composure. "You need a dress and to be at the Lockwood mansion by 2p.m. tomorrow or you'll have to answer to me!"

Lethia blinked a few times before pulling herself together and clearing her throat. "Thank you!" She yelled back angrily with furrowed brows and her arms crossed. "I will absolutely fucking be there. Go fuck yourself."

Caroline nodded slowly and started to back out the door. "You as well!" The door slammed behind her both to the mansion and her car. She immediately called Stefan as she backed out of the driveway. "So now we've got NoLena _and_ KlEthia?!"

" _What?_ "

"Try to keep up with the times, Stefan," she rolled her eyes. "Lethia and Klaus and are item now?!"

Stefan sighed heavily. "What kind of item I can't even begin to imagine."

* * *

Elena heard Nova's boots on her hardwood floor from the shower. The ravenette walked into her bedroom and tossed her bag on her progeny's bed, looking around at the bedroom curiously. "Are you alright, Nova?" She called.

"Yeah," Nova drawled back, slipping her leather jacket off and onto the bed as well, "just bored out of my mind. Damon is off doing whatever shenanigans today."

"Probably trying to thwart whatever Stefan is up to," she laughed a little. "I haven't seen him since he stopped by the pageant for two minutes this morning."

Nova laughed and picked up one of Elena's pictures. "He doesn't seem to keen on my staying in Mystic Falls."

"He's probably afraid his girlfriend might leave him for another woman," Jeremy teased in the doorway.

"Shut up, Jer!" Elena practically screamed before the shower shut off. Nova laughed again and set the picture back down.

The younger Gilbert waved Nova closer. Curiously she walked over to him. "Do you smoke anymore?" He asked her quietly with a guilty smile.

She snickered and looked at him, realizing just how different his appearance had become. The smirk quickly vanished from her face. "You look like you probably should smoke, Jer. When was the last time you got more than two hours of sleep?"

"Before I found out my town is crawling with vampires."

Her eyes widened and he came at her with a stake from behind his back. She tried her best to only dodge and not harm him but the tip was so point that it made her bleed when it scratched across her neck. She shouted in pain and heard Elena dressing furiously from the bathroom, wondering what was going on. Nova shook off the scratch and slapped Jeremy on the back of the head before knocking the stake out of his hand and out the door. "Alright, what the fuck was that for?"

Jeremy blinked a few times and stepped back. He could hear Elena yelling from the bathroom."I'm sorry, Nova, it's the hunter's mark. It's been happening a lot the more it grows."

Before Elena could get out of the bathroom she went over to her bag and took out a blunt from the front pocket, tossing it to the younger Gilbert. She smirked and winked. "Go to bed, Jeremy." He chuckled and nodded to her before walking out of the room.

Elena finally flew out of the bathroom and Nova looked at her with a small smile by the door. Her dark eyes caught the blood still cascading slowly down past her collar bone. "You're still bleeding."

Nova's brow quirked inquisitively. She pressed a couple of fingers to her neck and found the fresh blood when she pulled them away. She shrugged nonchalantly. "Everything is fine, I sent Jeremy to bed." She noticed Elena's eyes still staring at the red against her pale skin. She smirked and flipped her thick hair off that shoulder. "Make use of it then."

Still she only stared. "Everybody's already found out…"

The ravenette stepped closer and pressed her bloody fingers against the girl's lips. "Then what does it matter, especially if I return the favor?" She whispered.

Slowly, Elena's face began to change. She wrapped her arms around her sire and dug her fangs into the ravenette's throat. Nova's foot reached back subtly and kicked the bedroom door shut, one hand on her progeny's back and the other the back of her dark brown hair. When Elena let go and tried to step back, Nova held her in place, close to her still. She almost felt sympathetic to Caroline from earlier, realizing just how intimidating Nova could be when she was close to and staring down at you. She could almost feel herself getting lost in the Romanian's emerald gaze. A drop of her blood dripped from Elena's lip and she used her thumb to wipe it back, gently tilting her head to the side. Elena watched her face change, the dark ring around the emerald seeming to grow before she bit down.

* * *

"Blue," Caroline answered immediately.

Nova scrunched up her nose. "Really? The blue seems a little safe."

Elena shrugged. "Safe is good when it comes to the judges. Blue probably would be best, April."

"But the red-"

"We've already agreed that the red one is a little bit too showy," Caroline huffed.

"This is a pageant, isn't that the whole point?"

"Did you win Miss Mystic last year? No. I don't think you did."

"Neither did Elena and she wore blue." Nova smirked when she heard Damon in the doorway. She swore Caroline's eye twitched.

"Nobody cares what you think."

"I care," April admitted timidly, still holding up both dresses.

Damon smirked. "See? April cares. Red, right, Elena?"

The brunette jumped when she heard her name and Nova's arm flung around her shoulders, focusing her attention. "Red, right, Elena?" She repeated with a smile.

She looked back at the two dresses against April. "The red is pretty."

Caroline blinked with astonishment. "Uh, what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to safe is good?"

Elena looked around at everyone staring at her and pulled away from Nova. "Whichever one you want to wear, April," she spoke quickly before darting out of the room.

Nova started to follow but was quickly snatched up by her own sire. "Lethia is here," he told Caroline over the ravenette he held onto. "She was looking for you two." Caroline and April exchanged looks and decided to go off and find Lethia. "You weren't at the boarding house when I got home last night but you weren't at your house either."

The Romanian took a step back and looked up at him. "I got bored and went to Elena's. She made me watch some sappy chick flick and we fell asleep in the living room. Just made sense to come here together this morning."

"You've been spending a lot of time with Elena. Does that mean her progress is coming along well?"

She smirked proudly. "Exceedingly. She's still fearful but a little paranoia is good for you. She's gotten used to feeding without harming anyone. Her freak out was only because of my link to Lethia radiating down to her. Blood of my blood and all that fun stuff." She stood on her toes and kissed her fiance before smiling and heading down the stairs.

She kept to the outskirts of gossip circles when a tiny shimmer caught her eye. She laughed a little at what they would give the winner for a tiara, having worn real metals and stones in her lifetime. She flicked the barely sterling silver tiara mockingly. Black and silver heels came clicking over, slender, manicured hands clasping the tiara and placing it on a tamed mess of gold. Lethia grinned toothily and blew kisses dramatically. "I just want to thank the judges for seeing past the fact that I'm a raging bitch who would love to tear apart every last one of these losers."

Nova laughed and quickly snatched the fake trinket off the blonde's head back where it belonged. "You don't want to do that. Those girls will cut you. They might have shivs."

The blonde shrugged and held up her manicured black nails that grew into long claws. "And I have claws," she grinned.

The two shared a laugh and Nova started to feel better; Lethia was fine, she must have just been gallivanting on her own for a bit. It wouldn't be unusual for the wolf. Her laugh stopped short when she caught the eyes of her own personal devil. Her expression changed drastically, emerald eyes borderlining on deadly. She was ready to attack when she realized where exactly he was staring, because it wasn't at her. Lethia calmed down her laugh, realizing something wasn't right with her best friend. Nova's lips parted slowly; Klaus was staring at Lethia all dolled up.

" _As the reigning Miss Mystic Falls, it is my honor to introduce this year's Miss Mystic Court."_ Caroline's voice echoed. " _We begin the procession with Valerie Fell accompanied by Dylan Clark."_

Lethia's eyes widened, fear filling her amber eyes. "Are you kidding me?!" She grabbed Nova's upper arms. "That bitch didn't tell me I needed a fucking escort to a pageant."

"If you go up there alone you'll look like a fool," Nova spoke absentmindedly, still staring down the original hybrid. "But if she calls your name and you don't show at all it looks worse."

"Come with me, Nov. Please? I can't go up there alone!"

"Do I look dressed to escort your ass?" She gestured to her tight jeans, heeled boots brimming her knees, and low cut shirt. Klaus was still staring and she sighed. "Just go get in line and wait. I'll take care of it."

"What are you-"

" _Thea,_ " she commanded, " _merge._ " The blonde quickly turned and ran off to where she needed to be. Nova took a breath and stood upright, marching boldly up to Klaus with her shoulders squared. A smirk grew malevolently when he stared down at her fiery emerald eyes. "I know you know this stupid pageant like the back of your filthy hands," she hissed at him. Even with heels she still couldn't meet his height.

"What of it, luv?" He humored her.

"You need to go and escort Lethia or she'll look like a fool by herself."

Something dangerously playful danced in his eyes. "You're telling me to go escort your precious best friend to a pageant?"

"I'll rinse my mouth with fluoric acid for such a deed later, I assure you," she scowled up at him. "I see you eyeing her like a piece of meat because she's all dolled up so I swear to gods if anything happens I'll know who to go after."

" _Next, we have Amber Wolvertine accompanied by Hector Lindsay."_

"Will you do it?"

His lips twitched playfully. "Can I get a 'please'?"

"Not a chance."

Klaus laughed a little and pat her head as he walked by. "No problem then, luv."

"O-okay," she muttered as he vanished through the crowd. She hurried off to Caroline, slipping behind her and whispering in her ear that Klaus was unfortunately Lethia's escort.

The blonde clicked the off button on the microphone and looked at Nova with wide eyes. "So you did find out about Klaus and Lethia?" She whispered.

Nova took a step back, shock all over face. "What about Klaus and Lethia?"

When realization spread across Caroline's face, Damon swiftly came up behind Nova and whisked her away from prying eyes. "Stefan turned some criminal to help Jeremy hunt vampires and expand the mark." Nova stopped and gave him her full attention. "He started getting too bossy and got a stake in the gut. Jeremy made off with the equipment."

"So Jeremy Gilbert is fiending to murder vampires and now he's got a little arsenal and the freedom to do so?" She confirmed.

"The vampires he already knows well will be his first targets," Damon told her. "We've got to go."

He tried to pull her away but she yanked him back. "Hold on five damn minutes, Damon. That's an issue but nothing we can't deal with. This could end up being the only girly, normal, modern thing Lethia gets to do that she wanted to. I'm going to see her at least enter because she's always known how to make an entrance."

" _And finally, we have a last minute entry, Lethia Kross accompanied by Klaus Mikaelson."_

' _See?_ ' Nova mouthed before whipping around to see Lethia. She started to clap, smiling up at the blonde. Her hands slowly came to a stop, mouth turning back down. Damon put his hands reassuringly on her shoulders, also seeing what she was. Lethia looked stunning in her golden gown that hugged her every curve and Caroline had a way with her hair and makeup. The problem was in the precise way her amber eyes glimmered with life, with emotion. The way they shined when they looked up at the devil on her side. Nova's eyes flicked to him and only saw the same reciprocating to Lethia. Her breathing became slow and shallow before she briskly turned around and pulled Damon's hand out the door.

 _Klaus and Lethia,_ she realized. _That's what Caroline meant about them._

* * *

Lethia stared off at the pond from her seat on a bench with distress in her eyes. She propped her elbows on her knees, her head in her hands. Suddenly, a glass of champagne was in front of her face. She looked up to Klaus who sat beside her on the bench. "What's bothering you, luv?"

She sighed and stared into the bubbles of the champagne. "Not only has Caroline been totally squirrely towards me but I watched Nova run the other way after the entrance."

He shrugged. "Did you expect her to stick around a pageant?"

"No, and it would have been normal if I didn't feel a surge in our link beforehand. That's why I looked down to find her. I could feel a spike in her emotions and she took off. She was _pissed._ "

His eyebrow quirked. "Your link is still actively open?"

"Yeah, and it shouldn't be anymore. At least not _this_ open. I doubt we'd have to struggle to find one another if we wanted to risk it. Stepping into that link is like walking through a dark tunnel. I can feel something wrong on her end from mine but do we dare step into the tunnel?"

"How do _you_ feel, though? You could feel her anger, but what would she be afraid to cross into the tunnel for?"

She took a breath, looking back at the pond and horizon. "I think she can feel that I really haven't been. I haven't cared or thought, only acted. I don't care who wants to put up a fight anymore, I'll tear anyone in my path apart."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Sounds to me like with that link open you're started to get a feel for the vampire in your counterpart. We might just find out the full force behind this link you two have shared in due time."

Neither spoke for nearly five minutes. "Is it even remotely as common in vampires to have such a crippling sire bond as it is with hybrids?" Lethia finally asked.

He took a breath. "Not to my knowledge, no. It's about a one in 100,000 chance. Why?"

She tipped back the glass of champagne until it was empty. "I think Elena is sire bonded to Nova, but I also think Nova's been sired to Damon all this time and never known."

* * *

After April got crowned Miss Mystic Falls, Elena caught sight of Jeremy weaving through the crowd. She followed him until she found him sitting in an empty room. "Jeremy," she smiled at him. "Hey, where have you been?" She looked down and saw a stake in his hand, cutting into his palm. She took a cautious step back. "What are you doing with that?" He stood and stepped towards her. "Put it down, Jer."

"Connor was right," he admitted. "All I can think about is killing vampires."

"You're nothing like Connor," she assured him, gaze still flicking down to his bleeding palm.

Jeremy was still for the briefest moment before lunging at his sister. In a flash she was whisked away by Damon and Jeremy was restrained by Nova, the stake having clanked onto the ground. Nova's boot promptly kicked it away. "Alright, time out," she spoke, holding firmly to the writhing hunter. She nodded to Damon who ushered Elena out and away from the room before she vanished out back with Jeremy.

"This is a bad idea, Nova," he told her as they reached the edge of the woods. "All I want to do is-"

"Yeah, yeah, stake me," she rolled her eyes and waved him off. "Do your worst, Jer, I'm not afraid of you. No offense." She shrugged and sat on a large rock, digging around in the inner hem of her right boot. "I never would have harmed you before, let alone now that you're a hunter. No thanks, I learned my lesson." She laughed and took out a small, silver case.

He sat on a rock beside her, more so because he was insanely curious about the things she kept in her boots. "What the hell is that and why do you hide everything in your boots?"

"Because I would get whipped for wearing boots beneath my dresses in Romania but I make the most use of them," she grinned. "And this, my friend, is my on the go private stash in case of emergency." She clicked open the little case and showed him three perfectly rolled joints. He started to laugh and she shrugged. "You seemed like you needed a chill pill, kiddo. And vampire or not, I'm still the best smoking company you'll ever meet." She grinned and flipped the furthest out joint into her mouth. "This one is special though." She winked.

He smirked and took one for himself. "Thought you couldn't find good enough coke down here when you shut your humanity off."

Nova snickered, pulling a lighter from her bra and holding a finger to her maroon stained lips beside the joint.

* * *

"Thanks," Damon sighed, taking the glass of whiskey from Nova's hand.

She sat beside him on the couch with her own glass. "How did Elena handle her little brother coming at her with a stake?"

He laughed dryly, sipping the whiskey. "Well it made more sense when she found out Stefan had been having him kill vampires all day."

Nova stirred one of the ice cubes with her nail. "The more he kills, the stronger the desire becomes. Is Elena safe at home?"

Damon set both of their drinks on the table and pulled his fiance onto his lap, nuzzling her neck. "How about for five minutes we pretend we don't care?" He kissed her collar bone, making her smile and close her eyes. "When I found out Lethia had been entered in the pageant I regretted having not signed you up too."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you hadn't; I'm not meant for silly things like pageants. Lethia has the charm and innocence I lack to fool judges." Lethia and Klaus flashed before her eyes, forcing them open and a small scowl on her lips. "What do you think Klaus wants with her?"

He threw his head back and groaned. "Five minutes, Nova. Just five minutes of you and I like it used to be."

She put a hand on his cheek, looking into his eyes and seeing the toll everything was taking on him. She flipped a leg around and straddled him before pressing her lips to his. _It could be that way again,_ she thought darkly as they kissed. _If we go back on our promises we made to everyone else and only keep those we kept to one another...just shut if off and run, finally free again...elope to Vegas and drink all the rest in the chapel or on the strip dry…_

But Elena came to mind, and the promise she made Alaric. She knew Damon wanted to stay despite everything. She didn't understand why if it caused him so much grief. Shutting it off wouldn't be wise for Elena, not this early in her transition. Until Damon or both of them was ready to let go she was forced to stay caged as well.

Almost as if on cue, the second their lips parted, Nova's phone rang. She chuckled against his lips. "I guess our five minutes are officially up." She slipped the device from her back pocket, answering it to hear Elena sobbing.

"Stefan hates me being a vampire so much he made vampires for my little brother to kill," she cried. "He said I'm turning into you and Damon. When I got home I could see the stress on Jeremy. I can't stay there anymore. I told Matt to instead."

"Where are you now?" Damon asked quickly.

"Come to the boarding house," Nova told her.

"What about Stefan?" the brunette sniffled.

The two ravenettes look at one another before Nova answered. "Go to my house. We'll meet you there." She hung up and the two jumped for their jackets. "I'm surprised you're not on Stefan's boat," she muttered.

"Stefan's been a dick lately," he told her bluntly. "Elena is too fragile right now in her transition just like you were. It's natural the two of you formed a bond because of it. Your blood turned her and mine turned you. Who better to teach you than the two you're directly descended from?" He smirked.

She smiled and kissed him gently. "Almost like a child." Before they headed out the door they looked at one another very seriously, clearly thinking the same thing. "So what are we going to do about that cure?"

"Oh, we're still going to get it - you and I. We're going to give Elena the choice if she wants it or not."

"And if she doesn't by time we find it? What if she enjoys being a vampire too much by then?"

He smirked again. "Then the three of us will force it down Stefan's throat."

* * *

They made it to Nova's house before Elena, but not by much. They stepped into the living room and right behind them the brunette ran in sobbing right to Nova. The ravenette was stiff at first from the sudden contact and tears soaking into her shirt, but slowly relaxed and wrapped her arms around her progeny. "My brother wants to kill me," she sobbed.

"Welcome to the club," Damon quipped back.

Elena took a step back and sniffled. "Jeremy can't live with me, Stefan wants to fix me, and Caroline flat-out admitted that she doesn't like me this way. I think it's safe to say that I'm not so great at this vampire thing."

Nova frowned and grabbed her hands, surprising her. "You want to know what we think?"

Damon smirked proudly. "We've never seen you more alive."

Elena could feel her hands getting a little colder clasped beneath Nova's. The brunette gently took her hands back and wiped some of her tears. "You think so?"

"Please," Nova rolled her eyes, "we haven't even gotten into the fun, advanced lessons yet."

"What's that?"

Damon stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his fiance, resting his chin on her shoulder. "When a vampire acquires enough strength and power - usually from consuming copious amounts of human blood through the decades - they get special gifts." He smirked.

"Like what?"

"Remember the fog in the cemetery the day Stefan and I came to town? The crows?" Outside the large bow window came a loud caw, capturing Elena's attention. A new light sparked in her eyes. "If you think that's cool, you should see what Nova can do."

Her head whipped back and looked up to her sire. "Really?" She started to smile.

Nova frowned, glancing back at Damon. "It takes a lot and gets explosive with my emotions."

"You've managed just fine for years now," he whispered slyly to her. "Maybe this is our break."

"Come on, Nova," Elena pleaded with a massive smile. "Please? For me?"

Heaving a heavy sigh, the Romanian closed her eyes, lashes brushing against her cheek bones. After a minute the temperature of only the living room began to drop drastically until the windows started to frost over. When her eyes opened again the temperature went back to normal but the windows remained frosty. Elena was mind blown. "That's odd," Nova muttered, looking down at her hands and moving her fingers around. "Usually it takes more of a toll on me; I can feel it. But not this time."

"So keep going," Damon urged her, knowing she could do more.

"All I did was make it cold," she shook her head. "I've fed more since being back in Virginia than in a while."

The eldest vampire in the room looked between the two girls curiously. "I think it's because of that, and the three of us together right now. The three closest in our line, all connected by Nova's blood. It makes us stronger. Try it, _dolcezza_."

"Fine," she sighed, her gaze wafting towards the closed window. She focused for a moment before her eyes almost glimmered and the bow window flew open. Her jaw dropped a little having still not felt a dent in using her Power. Curiously she held her hand out towards a vase in the hall; it flew across the room and shattered against a wall. A grin started to spread across her face.

"Told you," Damon whispered in her ear.

"You're telekinetic?" Elena beamed with glee. "Holy crap is there anything you can't do?"

Nova stared between the open window and shattered glass on her floor before running outside to her front yard. Damon and Elena followed to the porch and watched the ice spread from her feet up the trees and cover them in frost. Elena looked at the ground and saw only patches missing ice. The raven haired ice queen started spinning as ice flaked from the trees and around like snow, fog rolling in thick around them. Holding her hands up towards the sky Nova made the trees shake like there was wind so the makeshift snow would keep falling through the growing fox. She laughed, making Elena smile, her raven hair spinning all around her and glistening with the ice.

" _I look inside myself and see my heart is black  
_ _I see my red door, I must have it painted black…_ "

Elena looked around and watched everything growing frosty or icy. The fog caught her attention as it consumed Nova's long legs and maroon blouse. She looked up to Damon and saw him staring with a smile at Nova. She looked back to the Romanian vampire before the fog consumed her but quickly back to Damon, thinking she saw his icy eyes darkening. She took a small step backwards when she realized she was right and looked immediately back to Nova. The fog was swirling around her, making it difficult to see past her silhouette. Elena could still catch glimpses of her emerald irises as she sang and twirled until the black started to consume it.

" _Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts  
_ _It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black…_ "

Through the fog Elena met her eyes. For a second she felt fear, but it didn't take long before her already dark eyes started to darken more.

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Ta on Nova tappa_ \- Estonian - He is Nova's kill

 **Featured song(s):**

Paint It, Black - Ciara


	30. The Tables Turn, Apocalypse is Coming

30: The Tables Turn, Apocalypse is Coming.

Nova sat up and stretched, taking the French braid out of her hair that Damon had done before she went to bed. She yawned and looked to the clock, realizing it was nearly 10am. She practically jumped out of the bed, nearly falling onto the floor, and darted down the hall to the room she had given Elena. She let out a small yell when she found the room empty and Damon started laughing behind her.

"Relax," he told her, wrapping his arms around her exposed midriff, "I made sure Elena got to school. I wanted you to sleep in. She was also a pain in the ass about it but I won." He smirked. "I bargained and told her you'd be there by lunch to see her."

She let go and fell back against him, enjoying the scent of leather and bourbon she'd grown so used to. "Well that leaves me about two hours," a smirk started to creep on her lips.

"Are you going to worry about Lethia and Elena in those two hours?" He teased, spinning her around.

"Can you blame me? Look at what they've gotten themselves into."

"And they're both big girls. Lethia is quite literally a very big wolf. Elena is acclimating just fine; she even said this morning that she was starting to feel happy again."

Nova looked up at him with bright eyes. "She said that?"

"Mhmm," he nodded. "Happier than before her parents' deaths even."

She grinned, standing on her toes until her nose touched his. "Then let's make better use of these two hours than our five minutes."

He grabbed her by the ass and pulled her up onto his hips. "I've got two hours to do whatever I want to you? Be careful what you ask for, _dolcezza._ "

* * *

"Mm," Lethia hummed contently, "I knew I smelled bacon!" Her bare feet padded into the kitchen, striding up to Klaus in only one of his shirts and her cheeky panties. She swiped a small piece of bacon and popped it into her mouth before he could tell her no.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "For an overly large wolf, you're awful short."

She stuck her tongue out at him and sat on the counter, dangling her legs because she touch the floor. "You think it's cute," she teased.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, a sly smirk crossing his lips. "One of many, sweetheart."

 _Well fuck,_ she thought, expression changing. _You weren't supposed to agree like that...you're freakin' Klaus Mikaelson…_

"Why?" She questioned in a deadly serious tone. "What's going on between the two of us, Klaus?" When he didn't answer she kept pressing, patience thinning. " _Niklaus._ " She practically demanded his attention.

He stopped what he was doing and turned his head towards her, expression unreadable. "Very well, I fancy you, Lethia." Her eyes widened. "Quite seriously. _Lethia-Reili Silja Kross_."

She gasped a sharp breath. She had made a deal with Nova long ago not to divulge sensitive information like their fullest of names. She could rattle off every one of Nova's aliases over the span of seven decades but never her full name past Nova Vasile. Everybody else that knew Lethia's full name should have been dead. Even Klaus knowing the name would put a target on his back. "You shouldn't know that name," she breathed.

"But I do. Do you know why I do? Because I'd thought you were familiar to me. Too special of a wolf is a rarity to come across once in a lifetime, let alone twice, but even your clan doesn't have immortality. I thought I told you to run and live your life when you were fifteen."

"I escaped because vampires attacked our village…"

He smirked and cupped her cheek with his hand. "And whose family do you think that was? A clan of wolves that sacrifice their strongest? They should have trained you, not chained you up for slaughter. It was only on Elijah's request that we didn't kill the rest after your release. What a pity when I heard Nova and Damon did it after."

She could only stare in astonishment. "Who would have thought your heart actually worked in there. Too bad it seems pretty stupid…"

"What makes you say that, little wolf?"

"I'm not a girl you want to be with. So much as knowing my real, full name puts you in the crosshairs. I can derail at any given moment, I've sworn fealty to Nova; my extended life was given to me because of Nova. My life is tied to hers."

"What if it didn't have to? I've been around a long time, luv," he smirked a little. "I know a lot of powerful witches. There is also always the option of becoming a hybrid…"

She smiled and leaned into his hand. "You seem so adamant on the thought. No wonder why you want to get that cure for so badly; a small army of hybrids isn't enough when you could have a massive one." She laughed a little.

"As much as I would love an entire state just filled with my hybrids, Elena's being human is more for a contingency plan of mine."

"Contingency plan?"

"If your life is ever in peril then I'll have the chance to turn you and save you whether you despised me for it or not."

* * *

Once Nova had left it was like Stefan was just waiting and walked right up. They sat at opposite ends of her table before Stefan told him his reason for showing up. Damon scoffed and resisted the urge to break his nose. "Sired? Really Stefan? That is the most pathetic nonsense I've ever heard come out of your mouth, and you've said some shit in your day."

The younger brother sighed. "It was Nova's blood to turn her, right? Nova's blood we already acknowledge is special. She's been different since day one and you can't deny that. The both of them have."

"Oh but there's more, isn't there? You look extra brooding today so just spit it out, Stefan. Aside from the fact that you can't handle Nova and Elena being friends."

He took a breath, preparing himself for what he was about to say. "We also think Nova has been sired to you since she turned in 1866."

Damon gasped at him. The only reason he hadn't flipped the table and rammed one of the legs into Stefan's chest was because it was Nova's table. "We finally got Elena to a good place about being a vampire. You two idiots can't stand that she's happy because of us. Nova isn't sired to _anyone_. She has the most free will in the fucking universe."

"Think, Damon. Use your brain. It hasn't been blatantly obvious as it is with Klaus' hybrids but everything Nova has ever done was for you. Every plot, scheme, and body dropped was in your best interest. She couldn't even stay away after her own decision to leave when she found out you were still looking for Katherine. Whether you told or asked her to or not, she did everything since 1866 _for you_. Her sire. Just like Elena doing everything she can for Nova now."

"You've lost your damn mind. Did Klaus tell you this garbage?"

"Work with me here, Damon. For fuck's sake, she killed Abby Bennett when she realized you planned to. She did it so her sire wouldn't have to to protect you. Even the simplest of things. It's been over 140 years, you can't deny it any longer."

Without looking away from his brother Damon grabbed his phone and called Nova who hadn't yet made it to the school. "Do you happen to have any blood bags on hand?" He asked her.

She paused, confused, for a moment. "Yeah, of course. Always in case of emergency; got a cooler in my trunk."

"I know you had said Elena was adapting well to human blood and feeding, but what about blood bags?"

"We've stuck to people because the last time we tried it made her sick."

"Can you try again when you see her? Tell her she'll be fine and make sure she drinks it. She...she needs to get used to it sooner or later anyways."

Nova was quiet before he heard her grumbling and complaining. "Yeah, whatever. Judge my methods for taking my sweet time to make sure the lessons were learned."

" _Grazie, dolcezza. Ti amo._ "

" _Orice pentru tine, iubițel._ "

Nova sighed as she pulled into the parking lot and shook her head. She popped her trunk and fished an old but clean and unused travel mug from her glove box. In the trunk she lifted a platform for a hidden underneath and revealed two coolers filled with blood bags. Snatching one up she popped it open and poured it into the mug. She discarded the bag with the coolers and hid it all back beneath the platform and locked her car. She pushed her sunglasses up on her nose and sipped the mug as she made her way across the high school campus.

She found the girls' table with ease, sliding right onto the picnic table beside her progeny with her back to Caroline and Bonnie. The blonde vampire and former witch excused themselves and vanished back into the school. A sly smirk crossed Nova's maroon lips. "They don't like me very much."

Elena smiled up at her and put a hand on the exposed skin of her knee through her ripped black jeans. "I do, though. And I'm glad you did come."

"I smelled the filth they're producing in that cafeteria and brought you lunch." She handed Elena the mug. "O negative, my personal favorite. Tastes like milk chocolate - no matter how many different brands there are milk chocolate is universally the same."

"Are you sure?" She asked, shakily taking the mug. "The last time we tried I got sick…"

She looked at Elena through her dark sunglasses very seriously. "I think you'll be just fine, Elena. Give it a try and tell me what you think."

Hesitantly the brunette took a sip. When she wasn't crippled with nausea she took another, larger, sip. "I guess it's not so bad," she smiled brightly. "I can finally be a perfectly functional dysfunctional vampire. Thank you, Nova."

She nodded slowly, a half smile lying its way onto her face. "No problem, Elena. Keep the rest for the remainder of your day."

"Really?" She stood and slung her bag over her shoulder. "That actually helps a lot! See you later, Nova!" She hugged the ravenette and dashed off towards the school.

Nova watched her leave, still sipping the mug. Something wasn't quite right.

* * *

"Elena is sired. You were right, I was wrong. Happy?"

Stefan walked in and found Damon drinking on the couch with stress all over his face. "Does that mean Nova is as well?"

"You tell me, brother," he spat. "I should have seen it by 1942."

"What happened in 1942?"

"We had recently parted ways with Lethia because of the link and Nova wasn't exactly herself; I blamed the magic of the link. That was the earliest start to our underground, hostile takeover. We were essentially the Joker and Harley of Bourbon Street."

* * *

[Flashback; NOLA, 1942]

Nova stared unfortably at all the people before her. Damon had dragged her out in the public at last. He put his hands comfortingly on her shoulders, making her relax. "You know what, my lovely songbird?" He purred in her ear. "I'm going to go set up your stage time. I can't remember the last time I heard you sing."

"I'm quite certain you can, Damon," she hissed low. "This was not a wise idea. I want to go home. Please."

He turned and grabbed them a couple of drinks before sitting her down at the bar. "I'm going to go get you stage time. You figure out who you'd like to have for dinner tonight. Now, if anyone tries to touch my drink, you show them no mercy, okay, _dolcezza_?" He caressed her pale cheek and she nodded, giving him the okay to vanish into the sea of people.

Her nails tapped impatiently and anxiously on the glass, eyes flicking around to every single person in sight of her sire. A partially drunken sailor had come up on her side and bumped into the bar, spilling Damon's drink on her black and green dress. She gasped and jumped to her feet with fire brewing in her eyes. "You spilled my man's drink. And on my dress."

"Sorry," he smiled at her. "It's crowded in here."

"That's no excuse."

He finally saw the seriousness in her emerald eyes but found no where he could escape to. "Take it easy, lady…"

"No, I don't think I will." She put her hands on either side of his face gently before whipping his head to one side until she heard a snap. He went limp and she slumped him into a bar stool, making it look like he was only drunk.

When Damon returned she was cleaning off her dress furiously. "What happened?" He looked to the man slumped on the bar. "What did you do?"

"He spilled your drink and made a mess of my dress. You said show no mercy. I thought you'd be happy."

* * *

[Present]

"While we were there we visited a witch in the hopes of finding out more about the link put on her and Lethia if not how to break it," Damon told his brother. "It was still fresh and they had opened it recently. It was taking a toll on Nova just like it is now. We're gonna pay her a visit."

"Why, if she couldn't break Nova and Lethia's link?"

"Because that kind of magic was done by a special coven of witches. This is only a sire bond; should be easier to break, right?"

* * *

Soft footfalls sounded until they reached the piano room where Nova sat at her bench, absentmindedly playing. The blonde caught her attention and sat beside her on the bench. "I'm sorry for ghosting so badly lately," Lethia apologized quietly.

Nova smiled softly, tapping keys slowly. "Isn't that usually what happens when we go poking around with that link?"

"What happened to girl's night? Figured you'd be with Elena."

She rolled her eyes and made a face. "It's best for Elena to spend time with them herself. Normalcy and all that because they're her friends."

Lethia laughed a little. "So you're back to being the bad guy."

"Oh yeah. They hate me." They shared a laugh. "Apparently that's what happens when you try your best and it's still not good enough for judgy eyes."

"And what about Damon? Rather glad I didn't walk in on you two sprawled across the piano in your birthday suits again."

"If you're asking because you want to make sure our conversation is safe then it is; the Salvatores are off on some brotherly shenanigans tonight." She rolled her eyes again.

The blonde nodded and took a breath before digging in her jacket pocket. "I might have found something linking Klaus to Zina…" When her onyx haired best friend gave her a look wondering how she knew she explained. "Damon kept me up to date, he didn't want me left out of the loop when I eventually came back around."

She opened her hand and showed Nova a gold brooch with a dark, black stone in the center and blood stained to the metal still. The ravenette gingerly took the brooch and it started to swirl with colors like a galaxy, captivating both girls. Six strange symbols formed in the stone and Lethia flew to her phone. "I found it in a locked box in Klaus' bedside table."

"Dare I ask how you managed to get close enough to Klaus Mikaelson's bedroom to find this?" Lethia stopped typing abruptly and looked up guiltily at Nova. The ravenette leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Are you happy, Thea?"

The blonde sighed. "It's not good for me to get happy or comfortable. We both know how it'll end."

"That's not what I asked, Thea. Are you _happy_?"

"Yeah," she finally answered timidly. "Yeah, I think I am…"

Nova sat back up and smiled softly. "So fuck everything and go for it."

"Wh-what?" She blinked in confusion. "Why?"

"You deserve to be happy, Thea. Why is that such a difficult concept for you to comprehend? We should both be grateful that we made it this far. I have Damon, why shouldn't you be able to find someone who makes you happy? At least with Klaus I know you'll be well protected." She smiled and took her best friend's hand.

"About that...this morning, he kind of - he brought up a thought that I've been thinking a lot about too…"

"Becoming a hybrid?"

She nodded. "He said it's obviously my choice, but if my life depended on it that he would without hesitation."

"So that's the real reason why Klaus wants the cure for Elena so badly," the ravenette realized. "Not to make more hybrids," she gave Lethia's hand a squeeze, "but in the event he got to or had to make one more." She exhaled. "Do you think it might be better for Elena to be human?"

"I thought you liked her as a vampire better. You two are finally bonding."

"I do; I've finally gotten to experience teaching someone the ropes and someone truly understands what I went through because she was turned with my blood."

The duo was silent, just sitting there holding hands for a moment before Lethia spoke again. "If Elena was human again, it would leave her open to turning again…"

Nova's eyes widened slowly with realization and they squeezed hands again. "You're quite right, Thea. With the cure she could return to being human for some time but if she didn't like it anymore she could make a conscious decision to turn that time."

"Or knowing her she'd be thrown into some sort of peril and need to be turned to live," the blonde snickered. "Did we just agree to team up for the cure _and_ to make sure Elena takes it?"

"But either hates humanity or gets into another accident after Klaus gets one final hybrid and has to turn again. I think so."

"At least this time her being in an accident wouldn't be so accidental," she chuckled.

* * *

"Val told us to even attempt in breaking the Moore's link that we didn't twelve human sacrifices," Damon explained.

Stefan stopped abruptly. "So you killed twelve innocent people?"

"It took Nova some convincing. She didn't want to if it was only worth a chance. I told her it was worth it and she didn't hold back." They stormed into a witch's shop and Damon flashed a dazzling smile. "Hi. We're looking for a witch. Sorry, no time for pleasantries. We need a spell that could break a vampire sire bond. Now, there was a witch here named Val. Ring any bells?"

The middle aged woman behind the counter shook a little. "She was my great-grandmother…"

"She had a grimoire and it had a spell."

"You brought me here knowing that the spell required a human sacrifice?" Stefan hissed.

"Human sacrifice?" The woman, Nandi, spoke. "Look, there's no magic like that here. I sell herbs and homeopathic remedies and dress it up with a little witchy-woo-woo for the tourists, but I don't practice. All of her stuff is gone - the grimoires, her journals. We lost it all during Katrina. If a spell like that ever existed, it's gone for good."

Damon leaned across the counter threateningly. "Enough of the charade, Nandi. You're not Val's great-granddaughter. You're her daughter. You're 80 years old. You don't look a day over 50. You're a practicing witch."

"Get out of my store."

"Give me what I want. There are two girls back home, one of which is extremely lethal and teaching the other to essentially do the same because of this stupid sire bond. Now, I don't care how many people I have to kill to get this stupid spell. I need to break a sire bond."

"I told you there's no one here who can help you. The kind of magic my mother practiced, it's unnatural. Witches don't even call it magic. We call it expression."

"Is it like black magic?" Stefan asked.

"Worse. Channeling the power of human sacrifices calls on darkness that can't exist on this plane without swallowing it whole. She sold you a bill of goods about breaking the sire bond because she wanted access to that power and you gave it to her when you killed those twelve people."

Damon licked his teeth, smiling dangerously. "My lady and I didn't kill those twelve people then for a sire bond. That was in an attempt to break a Moore's link. I imagine breaking the sire bond will be much easier."

"The bond can't be broken with magic. A vampire only bonds to her sire when she has feelings for him before she turns, human feelings. Vampirism only heightens those emotions. You want her free? You have to set her free. Tell her to live her life without you and never think of you again, to stop caring about you, and then leave her. That's the only way around the sire bond."

Damon backed off slowly, icy eyes filling with realization. Behind him, Stefan was still clung to the thought of Elena having feelings for Nova before she turned. The raven haired brother stormed out of the shop leaving the latter to mutter some form of gratitude before rushing out after him. "Damon, stop!" He called.

"I'm not trying this idiocy on Nova!" He shouted back. "Never!"

"It's the only lead we've got, Damon! Please!"

The elder brother kept his back to Stefan, wrath radiating off of him. Stefan looked around with panic growing as fog clouded around his feet. "Then I guess you're shit out of luck and better hope Nova can't pleasure your girlfriend better than you." With each venom dripping word Stefan realized the fog was getting thicker.

* * *

"Coming home anytime soon, _iubițel_?" Nova smiled when she answered her phone.

"I'm keeping your side of the bed warm in the meantime!" Lethia shouted, knowing he would hear.

When he failed to make some smart remark, Nova's expression fell. She paused the movie they had been watching and put her phone on speaker. "You're quiet. What happened?"

"Elena is sired to you." His voice was strained and clearly pained.

Lethia immediately moved and wrapped her arms around her best friend when she realized the ravenette's entire demeanor changed. "Wh-what's that mean? Is that the only reason she's actually been close to me…?"

"Listen to me, Nova, and stay calm about it, okay? We - Stefan and I, we found an easy way to break it."

Tears brimmed in her eyes. "But will it ruin our friendship, Damon? Aside from you and Lethia, Elena is all I've got. She's actually really been there, you know? I get why everyone's bent over backwards for her, okay. She's got a heart of gold. Will it ruin our gods damn friendship?"

Damon took a long breath. "Sire bonds in vampires happen when the person turning has feelings for the vampire turning them."

"Okay, so it was my blood that kept her from dying in an accident. The haemorrhage would have killed her."

Lethia frowned softly. " _Before_ that, Nov. Elena must have already seen you in a new light."

"Yeah, like a sister, right? We started getting close before she turned. It was just her and Jer, we're like blood sisters." Nova laughed nervously. The blonde rubbed her shoulders. Her voice still shook. "What needs to be done…?"

 _So you are sired to Damon,_ Lethia silently concluded. _Why won't he say anything…?_

Another sharp intake of air. "You need to tell Elena to live her life no longer in your shadow. You need to tell her to stop caring and you have to stop as well. You have to walk away."

The girls' eyes widened for completely different reasons. Her lips parted slowly. _That's why…_

Nova sniffed and nodded. "I'll get it over with tonight then. Anything else?"

He was silent. Lethia looked at the phone waiting for his voice. "No, that's all." The blonde wasn't sure if she should be relieved or terrified.

Nova ended the call and promptly stood, composing herself. "Don't wait up for me, alright? I don't know how this is going to go, if there will be tears or if I'm going to have to blow off steam and commit mass murder out of state." She snatched her jacket off the chair and kissed Lethia's cheek before briskly stalking out the door. Lethia could only watch her go with sadness in her amber eyes.

* * *

Elena was cleaning up the wine bottles from the night when Nova appeared in the doorway. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," the brunette smiled.

"How was girl's night?"

"Awful. Yours?"

She nodded and walked into the parlour. "Same. Listen, Elena, we need to have a talk…"

"I know that I'm sired to you, Nova. And that you're sired to Damon. Caroline spilled the beans."

Her mouth had, eyes wider than they should have been. "You want to back that up? I came here to tell you you're sired to me, nothing about Damon. I'm not sired to anyone. I'd know, right? Right…?"

Elena put down the trash bag, realizing what was going on. Her eyes filled with compassion. "Caroline said she and Stefan figured it out…"

"Oh my fucking gods," she breathed, burying her hands in her thick hair. "It all makes sense now. Those dolts went to New Orleans and found out how to break the sire bond. Damon only told me you were sired to me," her voice started to crack. "Am I supposed to expect him to surprise me with this now?"

Elena moved quickly over to an arm chair in a darker corner. She moved the pillows and cushions around until she took out a mostly full pack of Camel Crush menthol cigarettes. She slipped one from the pack and tossed it to the ravenette before putting the pack back in its spot. Nova caught the cigarette and groaned, further losing her mind. Of course her progeny was able to find her hidden stash. Why not? What next, was Elena going to smoke pot with her if she asked nicely?

"Relax, Nova," the brunette assured her. "Tyler told me the bond doesn't affect how I feel, just the way I act. My feelings for you haven't changed, Nova. Neither has yours or Damon's. Nothing has changed."

With shaking hands she lit her cigarette, no longer caring about smoking inside of the boarding house. "Everything has changed, Elena." She took a massive drag and nearly choked on the smoke.

Elena grabbed her empty hand comfortingly, lacing their fingers together. "It's going to be okay, Nova. We'll survive, we always survive. I don't care about some stupid sire bond; I'm happier than I've been in a long time. I feel more connected to you being a vampire. I don't want you to break the sire bond. And if you don't break yours with me, maybe Damon won't be able to break his with you."

Another large drag and she was chuckling dryly. "I don't want to do this, Elena. I'm not the good guy, remember? I'm the selfish one. I take what I want. I do what I want. I followed in Damon's footsteps. You shouldn't follow in mine. It's not a good path to go down. You'll drown in the blood."

"This is my decision, Nova. Please don't break the bond."

"The sire bond is forged in vampires when the person turning feels some type of way for the vampire turning them. I was already in love with Damon long before I turned. Lethia chose to intervene and get linked to me, ruining her life for decades to come. I won't let you do the same, damning yourself, over some sisterly affection."

When Nova tried to pull away, Elena gripped her hand tighter. She looked just an inch or so up to Nova with the smallest but possibly sexiest smile. "You think that's what this is, 'some sisterly affection'?" Her cheeks were tinting pink beneath the ravenette's gaze. "Nova I...I've had this like, girl crush on you for a while now…"

Nova stopped with the cigarette to her crimson lips, eyes wide. She sure wasn't expecting that, but it did make sense. Elena had a lady crush on her before turning. Turning with Nova's blood only made it spiral and forged the sire bond. She was at a loss for words, just staring down at her progeny. Elena's other hand came up gently and slid the cigarette from between her slender fingers. Nova figured she'd put it out, but of course Elena Gilbert had to go and surprise her.

Elena brought the cigarette to her lips and took a long drag herself, making the ravenette's eyebrows raise. With the smoke in her mouth she boldly leaned forward and kissed her sire, blowing the smoke into her mouth. Nova's eyes widened some more, her long lashes brushing her eyebrows with the surprise. She thought for a moment before giving a small shrug and closing her eyes, kissing the girl back. She pinched the ember of the cigarette in Elena's fingers until it went out and tossed the half onto a table. Elena's hands moved to her shoulders, slipping off the leather jacket and letting it fall to the floor.

She once imagined that Nova's red lipsticks must taste either chemically awful or like blood. She could finally confirm that it actually tasted like strawberry and whiskey.

* * *

 **Translation(s):**

 _Grazie, dolcezza. Ti amo._ \- Italian - Thank you, sweetheart. I love you.

 _Orice pentru tine, iubițel_ \- Romanian - Anything for you, my love.

 **Chapter titles:**

26: Lose Control - Evanescence

27: Going Under - Evanescence

28: Mz. Hyde - Halestorm

29: Red Lips - GTA ft. Sam Bruno (there is an awesome remake by Ship Wrek & Take/Five)

30: Angels - Vicetone ft. Kat Nestel

 **A/N:** Guys, I'm not kidding. I'm super serious with this story. So serious I just gave Nova and Elena some time on a ship LOLOL  
Pfftt, if you think this is as far as I'm going to take it you haven't seen anything yet. The actual show touched upon a lot darker and this isn't going on cable so I can twist and bend as I need lmao  
Let's just say it turns out Nova isn't entirely invincible and the wrong person is the first to know. Hunting down the cure and waking Silas is not to be taken lightly.  
The proverbial shit is about to hit the fan and just keep flying.

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan


	31. I'll Have a Blue Christmas Thats Certain

**A/N:** Seeee? I promise I'm still working hard on this one! Very hard, actually.  
Spoiler alert: there _are_ more Vasiles. And I've tracked every single one of them.  
If you think shit is hitting the fan now, just wait because I fully intend to see the rest of the show through to the very end of season eight.  
I've got a whole corner dedicated to ideas for this story. I figure I've got to get my audience back on here and hone my writing skills and style first before I can make my real and big original break. I just need all of you to help me further this dream.

Thank you to the 30 of you who already follow & favorited _Monster_ and the three who have reviewed.  
Please help this story grow!

For any news, spoilers, or updates, follow me on Facebook!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

04x09: O Come All Ye Faithful

* * *

31: I'll Have a Blue Christmas, That's Certain.

Nova opened her eyes to blaring sunlight. Her hair was a disaster, eyeliner smeared around her tired and confused emerald eyes, lipstick smudged off of her lips. She was on her stomach and reached to the side table to check her phone. Seeing too many messages and calls she groaned lightly and flipped the device upside down. What the hell had happened the previous night? She didn't recall getting plastered or being at the boarding house with Damon. Last she remembered she was at the boarding house with-

 _Elena._

Slowly her eyes crept to her right, hoping to find a mess of black hair and Leo tattooed shoulder beside her. When it was chocolate brown sprawled across the white pillows she had to cover her mouth from bursting out in any kind of noise. The both of them were stark naked, wrapped in the sheets. Nova slid out of the bed as stealthily as she could, thankful Elena evidently slept like a rock. At least, she did after a night with Nova.

The ravenette quietly zoomed around the room and downstairs, putting on her clothes as she found them and tossing Elena's into the bedroom. She snatched her leather jacket from the living room floor and the cigarette clip off the table. Practically skipping towards the front door she slid her right boot on, hopping around with the cigarette in her mouth and phone between her shoulder and ear, ringing. Making her way out the door she hopped and slipped on the second boot.

"How'd breaking that sire bond go?" Lethia questioned.

Nova hurried down the street, lighting the cigarette and trying desperately to smooth down her hair. "It didn't." She exhaled a large cloud of smoke.

"Then what the hell kept you out all night? People ask questions in this town, you know. Nobody asks for nothing in New York."

She rolled her eyes and took another drag, slipping on her sunglasses to hide from the sun. "She told me I've been sired to Damon since 1866. I started to lose my shit. She...comforted me." She started to snicker and took another drag.

"What kind of comfort are we talking about here?" Lethia pried suggestively. She was grinning on the other line; if it was a corded phone she'd have been twirling it waiting for the gossip.

Nova started to laugh and finished the cigarette, flicking it into a storm drain. "Southern comfort," she drawled with a southern accent. Lethia started to laugh hysterically. "Apparently she had a little lady crush on me before turning. Who would have thunk little Elena Gilbert actually had a wild side and got a little curious."

"Oooh, how curious are we talking? Like, the Nova Special curious or would that have just ruined her too soon?"

"Oh Gods, no, Thea," she was almost falling over laughing. "I am not discussing this over the phone for the NSA and whatever vampires are in the vicinity to hear. I guarantee Klaus is within five feet of you."

"Guilty as charged! Come on, just a little insight? Humor us? This is like a real life soap opera and I'm loving it."

"I'll start charging you for real life cable then. But fine, if you really want to know…" She looked around suspiciously to make sure the coast was clear. "Elena freakin' Gilbert shotgunned me."

"She _what?_ " She heard Klaus in the background of Lethia's gasp.

"Smoke trick," the blonde explained. "Kind of like the smoker's blood exchange. Wow, you two really are intimate. Wait, she smokes?"

"Enough to blow my cigarette smoke in my mouth before making out with me apparently."

"So what happened?!"

"What the fuck do you mean 'what happened'? I liked it, I rocked her world, realized what happened when I woke up butt ass naked next to her, and slipped out like the good one night stand I am."

"I'm literally losing my shit right now. Good Gods whatever you do don't go home - Damon's waiting for you. I know what your walk of shame looks like, he doesn't need to know it's from fucking Elena Gilbert." Nova could picture Lethia on the floor laughing.

"Well I can't exactly remove the clearly obvious girl sex that's head to toe at the boarding house where I left my one night stand sleeping who could either wake up and be pissed that I ditched or want round, like, six."

"You know I've got you but you know where you've got to go."

"Don't say it, Thea."

"How badly do you need to hide the events of last night, luv?" Klaus teased her.

"Don't you even start with me. Fuck off."

"Come on, Nov," Lethia pleaded with a little laugh. "I can swipe you clean clothes, you can shower, tame your hair, fix your makeup, and it won't look like your just banged the hell out of your fiance's brother's girl."

"Is this blackmail? It feels an awful lot like blackmail."

"I'd go with exploitation, but that's just me," Klaus commented.

"Hey, you, with the commentary; fuck off."

"What do you say, Nov?" Lethia asked. "Meet me here or do your walk of shame through the town and past Damon and Stefan."

Nova threw her head back against a brick wall, hidden in an alley, and groaned. "Swear to Gods you better not go color blind on me and match my fucking clothes."

The blonde practically squealed on the other end. "I promise I've got you covered, Nov. Meet me here in ten and shut your phone off; 'it died'."

"Don't make me regret this because I'll make someone else's boyfriend pissed that I slept with his girl and did her better."

* * *

"Looks like a giant snowflake."

Klaus' lips twitched and Lethia snickered. "I prefer to think of it as an expression of postmodernism. It's my donation to the Winter Wonderland charity event. It could have been smeared lipstick and the scent of sex."

Lethia laughed and wrapped her arms around Nova to keep her from attacking Klaus. She had showered and changed, her hair and makeup tamed. "Easy, killer," the blonde snickered, resting her head on her best friend's shoulder. "Enemy of my enemy and all that; we're basically on the same team right now."

"And yet here's your boyfriend making postmodern snowflakes." Nova grinned her crimson lips up at the Original hybrid.

"I retrieved the Hunter's sword from Italy which we'll use to decipher the map hidden in the Hunter's mark."

"Yes, the sword you needed to kidnap my best friend for."

Lethia all but groaned, still holding tightly to her fiery companion. "Does this lipstick you have on smudge at all or is it a stain? If I put my hand on your mouth will I have that crap on my hand?"

"No, but I'll lick you." Nova shrugged. "Or bite you. Depends."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Regardless, we're all in more concern for Lethia's life as it's already extended well past her given time." The blonde grinned. "I'm quite certain you have a list of reasons you care more for her to be alive even if that means working with me."

Nova looked up at him with a violent passion in her emerald eyes, still restrained by her little wolf. "As long as Lethia is alive and happy, whatever means it is that keeps her alive gets a pass in my book. Even being one of your hybrids. I'm doing this for her, not you."

"We still need that Hunter."

"I thought Stefan was training Jeremy against Elena's wishes?"

"Well, Jeremy is the hunter, and he has to keep killing vampires to complete his mark, but apparently they can't quite figure out how to keep him from killing any of us."

Slowly Lethia released her raven haired friend but moved to stand between her and Klaus cautiously. "That explains some stuff then," Nova muttered, taking out her phone from her back pocket. "They wanted me to meet them at the lake house because they're trying to train Jeremy and it must be to not do shit like that."

"And they called you after your last run in with a Hunter?" the blonde wolf questioned.

She shrugged. "If any of us can stand a fight with a Hunter now knowing the repercussions and it being Jeremy whom we absolutely can't just kill it's obvious that they called me. I might pop off and drop some corpses but I won't kill Jeremy and he can't get a scratch on me."

Klaus scoffed and smirked. "That's quite a bit of arrogance even for you. What makes you so confident you have no desire to kill little Gilbert? Even if he comes at you with a stake?"

"In case you, likely along with everyone else, has forgotten, Jeremy Gilbert works for me." Their eyes widened, both of them having actually forgotten or not taking it seriously to begin with. "I own the Grill. Me. How do you think it got cleaned up so quick after Connor's explosives? You've got your hybrids all over town, did you ever consider that I might have eyes around the _globe_?" She smirked, arms crossed. "And above all that and foremost, Jeremy Gilbert is my _friend_. Believe it or not, I have yet to actually kill a friend because I don't have a lot. Never have."

Lethia looked up at Klaus, waiting for his reaction. After a thought he nodded slowly, realizing just what a powerful and strategic adversary Nova Vasile proved to be. "Fair enough, luv. What's your next move then?"

"I don't trust Stefan in the slightest," she started.

"Smart woman," he muttered.

"Damon wants what I want though, and we've both realized how beneficial it actually is for Elena to be a vampire. If I can't have kids might as well have a progeny to the empire, right? She just needs to be more comfortable with the idea, like knowing when it's happening, and we need better odds against Stefan. He'll make her human and run which doesn't benefit anyone but him."

"And you think bringing Damon on board benefits how?"

"He promised his brother an eternity of misery; what better way to make Stefan miserable than to rip his girl away from him not once, but _twice_?" She smirked.

"Very well. Just don't screw this up; anyone who dares to cross me, I assure you their ends will be _spectacular._ "

Nova rolled her eyes and started to head towards the door. "Yeah, yeah. I've got to get to the lake house and tame one Gilbert from killing me and co, and attempt in toning back the sex appeal so the other Gilbert doesn't ruin her panties in front of her boyfriend."

"And how do you think Damon will take the situation exactly?" He smirked.

Nova looked over her shoulder with her hand on the knob, matching his smirk more playfully. "Do you think Elena Gilbert would be the first woman we've ever shared our bed with?" She winked and strut out the door, shaking her hips a little extra.

* * *

[Flashback; Mystic Falls, 2011]  
{Sometime between chapters 9 & 10}

Jeremy heard the heels clicking on the pavement and tried to quickly put out his joint and run. Nova's shadow loomed over him from the one spotlight on the dock. He looked up slowly, the joint still smoking, and stopped. Something had changed in her emerald eyes; there was still an icy wall, but the facade around that had temporarily lifted. Whatever she had done she was about to be really real with him. He sat back on the dock and offered her the joint carefully.

Nova offered a half hearted smile and pinched the joint between her claw-like nails, hopping up onto the dock beside Jeremy. She took a long hit and sighed out the smoke. She did it again and handed it back without looking away from the ground. He kept his eyes on her. "You did that thing, didn't you? You shut off your emotions or whatever?"

"Life sucks either way Jeremy," she told him with pain clearly trying to be choked down in her voice. "At least if you're a vampire you don't have to feel bad about it if you don't want to."

"Then why do you still seem miserable if you're not supposed to feel anything?" After his second hit he passed it back to her.

"I think I've grown to feel too much," she hit the joint. "Is that a thing? Maybe there's more I have to stuff in the box now."

"Why bother trying to shut if off then if you can't even do it fully?"

She kicked her heels off and curled her legs to her chest on the dock, wrapping her arms around her legs. "Because caring too much makes me a liability," she admitted quietly. "Can I be honest with you in confidence, Jer?"

He could hear the pain in her voice. For that moment he couldn't see her as a century and a half old vampire or a murder princess, he saw a twenty-something young woman slowly breaking under pressure. He saw humanity that was supposed to have been shut off. He saw a girl that needed a friend. "Of course, Nova," he offered her a small smile.

"I...I'm scared," she choked out, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Of Klaus?"

"For Damon's safety, and that I'd ever see him again." She inhaled a sharp breath and looked up at the stars. "My retaliating against Klaus puts Damon in the crosshairs. Bad enough if I had had to marry the prick I likely never would have seen Damon again, dead or alive. If I want to beat Klaus Mikaelson at his own filthy game, I have to be willing to get my hands twice as dirty. I need to go to some dark places for that, even for me."

"You really do love him, don't you?" She looked to him with surprise and wide eyes. He smiled and chuckled. "It's obvious to anyone with eyeballs, get over yourself, Nova. How far are you really willing to go for Damon?"

"As far as I need to take it. Whatever begins to stir I will thicken three fold. Anyone that dares lay a finger on him loses their hands."

He shrugged, still smiling. "Then what's got you so afraid and confused? Sounds to me like you've got the motivation you need."

"Whatever happens if I shut my humanity entirely off and go darkside will have repercussions."

"Like what, people being pissed off? Sorry to break this to you, Nova, but you just being you puts some people off because you're clearly the alpha when you walk into a room. Everybody in this stupid town runs their mouths as is. Might as well give them something good to talk about."

Slowly a smile made its way to Nova's face. "Are you seriously encouraging me to go darkside right now in the name of Damon Salvatore and crushing Klaus Mikaelson under my boots?"

"I'm more on board for the Klaus part but hey whatever gets us there, really," he laughed.

* * *

[Present]

"Nova," Jeremy greeted stiffly at the lake house door. "You shouldn't be here."

Her crimson lips flicked up into a smirk. "I'm here to help, Jer. I'm glad you'd rather risk staking my fiance than myself but my progeny is also already there and realistically I'm the one with a higher chance of success with you." She looked around at the door frame and poked a nail against the barrier. "You do have to invite me in, though. Unless you wanted to keep it outside but like I said - fiance and progeny are inside." She shrugged. "Do you trust me?"

The young Gilbert chuckled a little. "I think the question is do _you_ trust _me_? I'm the one with the instinct to kill and methods to do it."

She grinned toothily, showing her naturally large fangs. "Trust goes both ways, kiddo. I'm also itching to see what you could possibly do to _me_."

For a moment they stared at one another. Damon, Elena, Bonnie, and Shane inside watched with anticipation and anxiety. "Yeah, I trust you," Jeremy finally admitted, stepping aside. "Come in, Nova."

The raven haired Romanian crossed the threshold but the four could see her eyeing him from the corner of her eye carefully. The second she was just past range to see out of the corner he whipped a stake from his belt loop and charged at her. Damon and Elena jumped to their feet immediately but Nova held up a finger stopping there where they stood. She whipped around before he made contact and carefully knocked him around until the stake was out of his hands. Damon's phone rang and he walked hastily towards the back of the lake house. He came at her again and she flipped him over her, restraining him calmly.

"Well that was fun," she grinned, shutting the front door with her foot as to not let go of Jeremy. "Feel better now, Jer?"

He tapped, laughing a little, and she released him, helping him to his feet. "Alright, you made your point. The last daughter of the Vasiles means business."

"And she won't break a sweat doing it." She ruffled his hair and looked around for Damon. "Where'd he vanish off to?"

"His phone rang," Elena told her quickly. "I think I saw Stefan's name come up and he went towards the office."

Nova nodded and quietly disappeared to the back of the house until she heard Damon talking. " _Try the sock drawer. People leave the sketchiest stuff in sock drawers. Usually where Nova keeps at least her weed stash."_ She frowned and cut her eyes, listening outside of the door. She was able to hear Stefan too; praise modern technology.

" _I'm gonna need real ideas, Damon. Just because Nova keeps her drugs there doesn't mean that's where Klaus stashed a fucking sword."_

Damon shrugged. "Debatable; she keeps weapons in there too. It's not fun when you're just trying to smoke some of your girl's stash before she gets home and a dagger stabs you in the hand from a pair of black lace panties."

" _Damon!"_

She almost snickered; so _that's_ where her weed kept going. At least that was the only stash he'd found.

He sighed. "Fine, here's two ideas: kill Tyler before he goes to Klaus or, since Klaus has suddenly become MVP in our relay race for the cure, tell him about the hybrids and he'll kill Tyler."

" _Nobody is killing Tyler."_ The line went quiet and Damon almost thought Stefan hung up on him. " _Look, I know it's a touchy subject, but do you know where Elena is today? How she is?"_

He shrugged. "Elena's been cold as ice just running around trying to figure out how to deprogram Jeremy." _Kind of like the way Nova gets when she puts her mind to something…_

" _What about Nova…? Did she break the sire bond?"_

"Nova only just got here." She could hear her sire's tone growing colder. He didn't like where the conversation was going.

" _What about your sire bond to her? Are you actually going to tell Nova to stay away?"_

Damon was quiet for a moment. A shaky breath escaped Nova's maroon lips. She used the wall for support and closed her eyes when a dry laugh came from her fiance. "I don't even think every single Original compelling and dessicating her ten feet under water in a steel cage would keep her away for long. This is Nova Vasile we're talking about here. _My_ Nova. Soon to be and forever will further be Nova Salvatore."

" _Be serious, Damon. Can you and will you break the sire bond?"_

Another heart staking silence. "You and your best friend fall in love then," he told Stefan coldly. "Then I'll drown her in a river and when you can't watch her die you turn her. Then find out because she loved you as a human it created a sire bond and tell me what your game plan is, Stefan." He hung up quickly and angrily, tossing his phone onto the desk. He rubbed his face when he heard a creak in the floorboards. "How much of that did you hear?" He asked Nova quietly.

She stepped into the office cautiously, gently closing the door behind her and leaning against it. "Enough to make a little more sense of what I already found out." She pushed herself off the door and took a few steps towards him. "Ask me if I broke my bond to Elena."

"What?"

"Ask me if I broke the sire bond to Elena and expect nothing but the truth. Do it, Damon."

He walked closer to her so there was barely half a foot between them. "Nova, what did you do?"

She looked up at him with pain in her emerald eyes, fists balled at her sides. "I was going to, I really was. And I couldn't figure out why aside from you calling in a favor. Why would I ever say no to my sweet, Damon?" She took another step towards him, her irises darkening. "Elena spilled the beans that it wasn't just her sired to me, that rumor had it I was sired to you too since fucking 1866." She laughed sardonically. "It didn't take a genius to realize you were going to be in the same position you had just put me in."

Damon could see the darkness consuming her beautiful green eyes. The air in the room had gotten drastically colder. He grabbed her upper arms soothingly and brushed some hair out of her face. "Nova take it down a notch, you're losing control. The damage the link has done-"

She shook her head and took his face delicately in her cold hands as her irises turned entirely black. She rubbed her thumbs across his cheeks, smiling softly. The longer he looked into her abyss like eyes the deeper he also fell, his blue eyes turning black. "Shh, _iubițel_ , it's not the link anymore and you know it. We're stronger bound together if it is true. A sire bond is not always a hindrance." They both started to smile, irises black as the night having consumed all color. "We don't need to break what isn't already broken." She stood on her toes and kissed him.

* * *

Lethia smiled warmly as she ventured through Mystic Falls' Christmas celebration. She realized she and Nova hadn't given much thought to the holiday again that year. Another year separated even though they were in the same state. Her silver flats tapped lightly against the pavement as she walked, amber eyes glimmering with all the lights. A little girl ran into her legs and started apologizing abruptly. Lethia smiled, smoothing down her shimmery gold dress, and knelt down to the girl's level. "Where's your mom and dad, kiddo?"

The girl's hazel eyes filled with tears threatening to fall. "I-I dunno," she whimpered. "There's so many people…"

Lethia fixed the purple knit beanie on the girl's light blonde hair and offered her hand. "Let's go find them then, yeah? Maybe if you sit on my shoulders you'll see them."

Her eyes lit up like the lights around them. "Really?"

"Sure!" She grinned. "My name is Lethia. Come here, sweetheart." In one swift movement she picked up the child and set her gently on her bare shoulders. "What's your name?"

She smiled as she looked over Lethia's golden mass of hair, searching for her mother. "Rika!"

"Alright Rika, who are we looking for - mommy, daddy, someone else?"

" _Memm_!"

Lethia stopped abruptly. "M- _o_ -m?" She emphasized, thinking the child might have just slurred her sounds together.

Suddenly Rika started to get excited and point through the crowd. " _Ema_! _Ema_!"

Her breath caught in her throat. It was 'mom' she was saying, but in Lethia's native tongue. Cautiously she followed little Rika's pointing, wanting to know why she knew Estonian so young. Blonde hair and hazel eyes? No, it couldn't be possible; she was supposed to be the last Kross wolf. Everyone had told her for decades how she was the last; a rarity about to go extinct. Maybe it was just coincidence. _But Gibbs was right - there are no such things as coincidences._

She held her breath as they walked through the crowd. Every woman with blonde hair stood out to her but none were who Rika pointed at. Not until they approached a woman with long, thick raven waves from behind. She almost thought it was Nova. " _Memm_!" Rika shouted on her shoulders. Lethia stood still as the woman turned around, responding to Rika's call. If there wasn't a child on her shoulders her knees would have buckled.

She was beautiful, but even that was an understatement. There wasn't a single raven hair out of place, each wave falling magnificently into the next. Dark charcoal lined her cat-like eyes that stared into Lethia with deep intensity. Eyes as emerald as her own best friend's; they looked just like the stones. There wasn't a single blemish on any of the ghostly white skin that showed. It didn't even look like one of her breasts was larger than the other or one hip was higher than the other. Her posture was as perfect as her figure. Her dark crimson lips turned up into a frightening smile. When her hand reached out towards them Lethia saw a silver and sapphire bracelet on her wrist.

"You've found my Marika, thank you," she told Lethia calmly.

Her lips parted as Rika slid off her shoulders. _Marika…_ Heart thumping madly in her chest she watched the woman hug Rika, her emerald eyes never looking away from Lethia. "It's no problem," she forced her voice steady. "You look a lot like my best friend who is neither blonde with hazel eyes nor Estonian." She smiled tauntingly. Maybe she'd spent too much time around Klaus. "Rika must look like dad?"

She chuckled a little, holding the blonde child to her side. "She's actually an orphan; I took her in myself. There are some dark parts of Estonia that are still war-ridden today. Such a shame for all of the innocent children." She picked Rika up and held her on her hip. "I thank you again for bringing my Marika back to me. Have a happier Christmas, Lethia."

Before she could stop the woman she vanished into the crowd with Rika. Were there more of the Kross clan still living? Had the line managed to continue? It looked an awful lot like Nova and Lethia weren't the last of their blood anymore. She started to backtrack until she made it to the Grill. She took back a shot, trying to forget what just happened, when a painting caught her eye.

Lethia smiled up at the painting she knew Klaus had done. She couldn't believe that after all that time Nova was finally marrying Damon and she actually (kind of) had a boyfriend. Naturally it'd be the Original hybrid. Go big or go home. She laughed a little when she felt eyes on her. "Here to steal Tiny Tim's crutches?"

Klaus smiled when she looked over her shoulder and grinned up at him. "Dickens was a dark man," he told her as he walked closer. "You would have liked him." He stood behind her and snaked his arms around her waist. "I was actually hoping I'd see you."

"Aren't you afraid someone will see and we'll be gossip of the universe?"

"Who gives a damn about the rest of the universe when your best friend knows and doesn't want to kill me any more than usual?" He smirked. "I know you swiped the brooch from my nightstand." Fear crept up her spine. "I figured you'd be smart enough to find it."

She blinked a few times and spun around to face him. " _What?_ "

He shrugged and snatched a couple of glasses of champagne from a waiter walking by. "I took it from Zina Vasile the day I murdered her - tore her heart out."

"And you're telling me this why…?"

Klaus looked past her at his painting and sipped his champagne. "For one I know you've done the same, regardless of the name. "And second, she and Nova are what the Vasiles called cursed twins - _moartea gemeni_. Twins of Death. Each time there are twin girls born to the Vasile name something awful happens. Zina was second born and given away as an infant while Nova got to be raised into royalty."

Lethia took a breath. "So Zina is gunning for Nova's life even from the afterlife."

"Turns out she's only on the Other Side. I ripped her heart out because she was a Vasile vampire. That brooch was part of the white dress she wore in her death. I trust Nova may want to figure out that kind of magic before Zina comes back for it."

* * *

"It's a rock," Damon and Nova stated with boredom dripping from their tone.

Professor Shane sighed. "It's not just any rock."

"Hm, so is this that silly little wives tale that you told at the occult exhibit?" The elder Salvatore questioned.

"Right, long story short: Once upon a time, there was a witch named Silas who loved a girl, who wanted to be with her forever, so he and his best friend, another witch, made an immortality spell and then Silas' best friend witch got jealous and killed Silas' girl before he had a chance to make her immortal. Well, cursed to an eternity without his one true love, Silas finds a way to reverse the immortality spell and then before he has the chance to take it, his former friend buries him underground, leaving him and the cure to rot."

"So it's a cure for immortality?" Elena inquired.

"Human blood is the life force of an immortal. No more immortality, no more need to feed on blood. You dig up Silas and you've got your cure."

Nova opened her mouth when her phone rang. She flicked her tongue against her teeth and excused herself onto the porch to take the call. "What's going on, Thea?"

"Do you have that creepy old brooch on you by chance?"

"Of course I do - safest place to keep it. Did you find out what those symbols were?"

"And worse...listen, I have had two very strange experiences today so you're going to have to bear with me; this is all going to sound fucking _insane._ "

"Considering what we've already witnessed in the last century or so, shoot."

"Zina wore that brooch on the white dress she decided to die in when Klaus came to kill her. It was the only time she'd ever worn the dress."

"How many fucking times did he creep on my sister to know that?"

"The night I met her and found out she was a Vasile you don't think I didn't have her watched?" Klaus shouted from the other line. "The dress you saw her in in your vision was accurate. Once I found out she ran beside Katerina Petrova I had her watched. She never wore the white dress."

"Katherine…?" Nova breathed. "What the fuck was Zina doing with Katherine?"

"Zina Vasile was adopted as a baby by Katerina Petrova," Lethia told her quietly. "It took _a lot_ of digging but I found one piece of paper confirming it. The symbols that appear when you touch it are six forms of some very open and considerably dark magic - Necromancy, Divination, Transmutation, Abjuration, Illusion, and Conjuration."

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sat on the steps. "What good does that do when vampires can't do magic?"

"Vampires _are_ magic," came Klaus. "That brooch and those brands of magic are not witch magic and therefore not limited to only witches. Zina Vasile was a vampire in her death turned by Katerina Petrova. She's on the Other Side as we speak."

"That kind of magic is even stronger than Moore magic," Lethia continued. "All six together, wielded balancingly, is essentially ruling over all. That brooch has been sought out for over three thousand years, Nova. And each time it came up it was in the hands of some Vasile. I don't think we're the last of our clans."

"I know you said to bear with you, Thea, but you're brinking on nonsense now."

"I promise you I'm not, Nov! I can explain more when I see you but there's so much we don't know about our families and if we don't find out before they find us we could be toast. Like, burnt toast. You're the only one that stone will work for. See if the creepy professor knows anything since he likes occult artifacts so much."

The second they hung up Nova barged back into the lake house and right up to Shane, pulling the brooch out of a pocket she made inside of her bra. As soon as her skin touched it and she held it out for him to see he looked ready to fall out of his chair with the six symbols staring back at him. "What the fuck is this?" She barked. "How much of my life has been a lie?"

"Nova, what the hell!" Damon shouted at her. When he got a look at the brooch he stopped in his tracks. "What the fuck is that…?"

Nova was shaking by then. "Zina was adopted by Katerina fucking Petrova," she hissed with a thick Romanian accent. "My parents gave her up because I was born three minutes or however long before her and she was raised by Katherine. Klaus found her which meant he was onto Katherine and she turned my little fucking sister. My twin sister I never knew I fucking had until she got strong enough from the Other Side to try and kill me! Why's she on the Other Side you must be wondering? Because obviously Klaus tore her heart from her chest and got this as a prize!"

Shane took a shaky, shallow breath, eyes too afraid to look away from the stone. "It's...it's essentially God magic," he breathed. "All six mastered gives the person control of basically everything. They can bend life to their whim. That stone...it-it was stolen originally from...from…"

"From where?" Damon snapped. "Zales?"

The professor gulped. "Heaven. Lucifer stole it from Heaven before the Fall and hid it on Earth with several other Heavenly objects. It was mentioned with some of Silas' history but I thought...I thought it was even a rumor to him…"

Her lips had parted, jaw starting to drop with realization. Her mind flashed back to Zarya Deighton, the girl who claimed Lucifer was riding shotgun. She heard Damon suggest putting the brooch on and Shane practically screaming not to. She felt like she was going to vomit. Elena's hand touched her arm and she freaked out. She shoved the brooch into her pants pocket and hastily snatched up her jacket, storming out without another word.

* * *

Nova sighed heavily, staring up at the sun setting sky. Her old leather journal and a fountain pain laid on her lap where she sat in the cemetery. "You'd beat every one of us senseless for this nonsense," she spoke to no one in particular. "I mean, you'd beat us anyways for being vampires but that's not important." She laughed humorlessly. "I miss Christmas as a family. I never knew Christmas in Romania but it became my favorite holiday quickly. Now?" Another dry laugh. "I didn't even know it was December, let alone the week of Christmas."

She closed her eyes as a warm breeze caressed her. "Just furthering my point," she sighed. "I've got to say, December is much more lively up north. Sorry not sorry, the snow if beautiful." She shrugged. "Stefan is a dick but at least you didn't give him up for being the second born. I didn't even know I have... _had_ , a little sister. A twin sister. Not until she put her plans into action to try and kill me."

Another sigh and her gaze flicked to the tombstone in front of her, Giuseppe Salvatore's name carved into the stone. "Things used to be so much easier, just worrying about how to tiptoe around you to set up Christmas decorations." She smiled sadly. "Maybe you were right to hate Christmas after all."

Nova took the brooch from her pants pocket and held up to the sky as the moon came up slowly behind some clouds. As the symbols swirled to life, Zina's ruby bracelet shimmered. "You haven't tried talking to me in some time, songbird."

She jumped in her spot and looked from the bracelet up to Giuseppe smiling down at her. She blinked a few times, thinking she was hallucinating again. " _Papà_ …?" She asked with uncertainty. Only Giuseppe ever called her his little songbird. She looked down again at Zina's bracelet.

" _I always found my bracelet more useful."_

Perhaps then that day of the memorial she really did see Alaric on the bench. Looking back up at Giuseppe she allowed herself to be vulnerable. He was the first to always see through her facade. "I'm scared, _papà_ ," she admitted, nails digging into the leather journal. "There's so much about vampires and magic no one knew when you were alive and it's only gotten worse. Sire bonds, Moores linking me to a Kross wolf, what her becoming a hybrid will do to that; oh yeah, there's hybrids, _papà_. They come from the Original hybrid himself."

"Klaus Mikaelson," he reasoned. "I have been watching over you, Nova. You're still my little songbird, even with fangs." She smiled a little. "If your fear of this sire bond is fear about your relationship to Damon then I can at least tell you his intent from the start has been nothing but pure. Damon has never meant any harm by you; you never have to question if he loves you or not. It has nothing to do with this sire bond."

She was admittedly surprised; Giuseppe typically doted on her being the girl he never had, praised Stefan for being an obedient son, and fought with Damon for one thing or another. "This is the spirit of Giuseppe Salvatore I'm talking to, right? The same Giuseppe who never had a good word to say about Damon?"

Giuseppe laughed a little and sat in front of his headstone, knowing he wasn't actually sitting on grass. "The same one that shoved soap in both your mouths for saying things like that to me." They both laughed. "Katherine Pierce was an obsession for his terribly attention span. You could probably test him for that disorder they have today and find he has it and probably ten more. I knew eventually he would see that he already had a queen by his side."

She gasped, eyes widening. "You knew…?"

"The second Damon brought you into my office and told me your name was Nova Vasile. That's not a very common name, kiddo." He chuckled. "The council was aware of the dark families because they had dealings with the supernatural. As soon as I laid eyes on you I knew what they'd done and that when I took you in I'd be hiding you. Looking at you beside my oldest son and seeing the adoration in his eyes I knew you two were meant for each other. I knew Damon had found his something worth living for even after all he'd been through."

The two shared a comfortable silence before Giuseppe spoke again. He had stared at his adoptive daughter until he smiled. "You looked so much like her that it didn't surprise me."

"Who?"

She followed his gaze to the headstone beside his - Lillian Salvatore. "Damon's mother, Lily. She passed when Stefan was still young so it hurt Damon a lot more. You looked just like Lily with beautiful green eyes. You were able to fill the hole she left in Damon's heart. I hadn't seen so much life back into his eyes since he was a child before her death and Stefan's birth. What's happened to you, though, songbird? If you don't hold that head higher the crown Damon went through all that trouble to find will slip and the last time that happened Klaus Mikaelson vetted you." She looked down with shame. "A century and a half and no one had gotten the best of my daughter until Klaus. For a century and a half I have watched you and Damon take and do as you please with the power to do so over even those older or more trained than you. Why has this one man brought a queen to her knees?"

"I kneel to no one," she argued, fire returning to her emerald eyes. "Especially the Mikaelson family."

Giuseppe stood back up, looking down at her like a parent scolded his child. "Then why are we having this conversation? What is stopping you from driving the Mikaelsons out and taking Mystic Falls like you've taken bigger cities? Did you not claim this town as your home? The home you have shed your blood and tears for?"

Nova scrambled to her feet, brushing off the dirt and grass and staring up boldly at Giuseppe. "This is my fucking town." _And you can't ram soap in my mouth for cussing in it now._ "I don't care how old Klaus and his siblings are, I rammed my flag in this damn dirt when they abandoned it!"

He smiled proudly. "That's my girl. Use that magnificent brain of yours and stop doing as you're told. You are Nova Vasile-Salvatore. Just as the Mikaelsons abandoned this land, the Vasiles abandoned you. Zina is not your family, she is not your sister. She is your adversary until she proves otherwise so get rid of that bracelet or it'll lead her straight to you."

"If I get rid of the bracelet, I probably won't be able to see you anymore…" _Or find Alaric…_

"That's a sacrifice you're going to have to make to stay ahead of the enemy, songbird. Just know that I love you dearly and I will always watch over you. Vampires or not and regardless of some decisions you've each made, I could not be more proud to call you three my children."

She started to nod and lick her dry lips, realizing that he was right about everything. The emerald in her irises darkened, but still a vibrant green, and burned with passionate fire. She ripped the ruby bracelet off of her wrist and hurled it as far as her supernatural strength would send it. Finding herself all alone in the cemetery again, Nova snatched up her journal and pen and hastily made her exit.

* * *

"Tyler, honey," Carol Lockwood slurred into her phone, "you're supposed to be my sober cab. I think I drank half the party." She laughed a little and hung up the phone, sitting on the edge of the fountain. She set down her champagne glass that was nearly empty and took off her shawl. She jumped a little when she found Klaus before her and stiffened when she saw the blood on his clothes.

"Good evening, Carol. You're looking for Tyler. I'd like to have a word with him myself."

Carol clutched the stone fountain fearfully as Klaus' grip on a champagne bottle tightened. "Klaus, please, don't hurt him. He's my son. He's all I have."

He smirked, a void in his blue eyes. "And you're all he has. There's a beautiful symmetry to that, don't you think?" He grabbed her by the back of the neck and shoved her head beneath the water. She flailed beneath him but he held her under like it was some boring chore. He heard soft footfalls coming up behind him but he didn't budge in the slightest. "You can chastise me if you like, luv, but I've had quite a bad night."

Lethia took a seat on the stone fountain beside Carol's flailing body and put a hand on Klaus' under the water, pushing her under deeper. "Abby Bennett went crazy and killed herself."

Only when Carol finally stopped moving did they let go and take their hands out of the water. "And you said Nova's got a stunning doppelganger running about with a little blonde Estonian child?" Lethia nodded. "Then I suppose we're going to have to ask Daciana a few questions."

Her eyes widened. "Daciana Vasile? Isn't she supposed to be a thousand years dead or something?"

"Try 'or something', my little wolf. Daciana is only a handful of centuries dessicated thanks to a very powerful Moore spell and we're going to have to wake the beast now."


	32. Don't Let Them Break Your Stride

32: Don't Let Them Break Your Stride.

Nova's blood splattered against the tree she was punching barehanded. She donned tight spandex shorts and a sports bra, wild hair pulled into a high ponytail. Various weaponry was laid out in the clearing of the woods she was in - her bow and arrows, sai blades stuck in a nearby tree, swords, even a couple of guns. Sweat dripped down her neck and forehead, some pooling in the inward arch of her lower back. As the shorts rode up her tattoo for Damon got exposed on her hip. She had faint scars on her back and a few other various tattoos scattered about her skin including one on her lower back: black and bloody little wings with 'Bite Me' in script between them.

She panted and huffed with each punch, her fists wearing down a significant amount of bark. Her fangs peaked over her bottom lip, face changing and darkening on and off. With every other punch the veins swept beneath her dark eyes, the emerald burning for blood.

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1855]

She knew she shouldn't have been in the training room, let alone using it, but fifteen year old Nova stood in handmade shorts and a wrapping around her breasts punching one of the training dummies over and over. She had used a ribbon off her dress to tie her hair up into a ponytail and started to sweat. Footsteps and clapping made her jump in fear. She huffed when she realized it was only one of the princes her parents hoped to marry her off to.

"Something about a girl who breaks the rules and knows how to protect herself is just ravishing to me," he purred, trying to close the gap between them.

Nova quickly took a few steps back, the two of them dancing around the training dummy. "I appreciate the efforts but I think I might prefer my father's lashings." She smiled sarcastically.

He made the mistake of grabbing her in a way she didn't want him to. Nova reacted immediately and flipped him around, kicking the backs of his knees to knock him down, and put him in a chokehold. Just before he lost consciousness Felix Vasile found them. When Nova saw her father she let the prince drop to the cold floor. Felix ushered him out before turning to his only daughter. "You know better, girl. Turn and face the wall."

Nova put her palms against the stone wall, baring her back to him. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, waiting for the sting of the leather whip. It hit her over and over but she refused to let out any sound more than a whimper. By time he was done she had cut her lip and it bled down her chin like the gashes on her pale back.

* * *

[Present]

Nova spun away from the tree swiftly and slipped a sword into each hand. She moved too fast for the human eye to see, leaving only slashes on trees in her wake. She gashed up the trees on her sides before driving the swords deep into the tree she had previously been punching. The blood from her knuckles dripped down her hands and the hilts. The trees and grass around her had some splatters.

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1856]

"Someone, please! Help!"

Nova stopped in her tracks when she heard the girl's plea for help. She spun back around and ran full speed down the hall until she found one of her ladies being assaulted by a foreign duke. Her dress had been torn up top and he was pulling up the hem, tears rolling down the brunette girl's cheeks. She walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder, smiling devilishly at him. When he turned and smirked up at her she punched him harshly, breaking his nose and hearing it crack.

"Wrong girl, wrong castle, _pizdă._ " She hoisted the hem of her own gown and he smirked through the pain and blood dripping down his face. She shook her head and he realized she was wearing combat boots like she was not supposed to. He watched as her boot clad foot reared back and swung forward to kick him in the head. When he fell to the floor unconscious Nova dug through all his pockets for whatever currency he had on him. She handed it all to the sobbing girl and took off her black cloak, wrapping it around her shoulders as she held up the top of her dress. "Take this and get out of this country. Do not look back. Make something good for yourself, a new life. This is a direct order from the princess. Do you understand?"

She thanked Nova repeatedly and kissed each of her cheeks. "You have my word, m'lady. Thank you!" She didn't look back as she ran down the halls and out of the castle.

" _Nova Lerae Vasile_!" came the screech of Alina Vasile. The woman snatched up a fistful of her daughter's hair and dragged her through the halls to her father.

Alina slammed the door behind her, rambling off about what Nova had done. Felix got angry quickly, the defiance on his daughter's face fueling his rage. She knew what was coming and took her stance against one of the cold, rock walls. The leather whipped slashed at her back repeatedly. She could feel her blood dripping down her sides but no sound came out of her mouth. Only her nails, having grown out and filed into points, left deep claw marks in the rocks.

* * *

[Present]

Nova pulled the bow's string back as far as she could and closed her eyes. Her phone started to ring, Stefan's ID staring back at her. She quickly fired off the arrow, put the phone on speaker, and lined up another arrow. "What do you want?"

"Where are you?"

"Get to the point of this call before I drop it, Stefan." She closed her eyes and released another arrow.

"Rebekah is back and she and April have Elena hostage at the high school. Just thought you should know."

She set the bow down, staring at the five arrows stuck together in a tree. "I'll handle it. Oh, but Stefan? I was wondering how many times in a row you've made Elena orgasm because my record is sixteen." She smirked, dark emerald eyes malicious. "Just thought you should know." She promptly hung up the call and shot a sixth arrow into the tree.

"Did you know about Nova and Elena?" Stefan angrily questioned his brother over the phone as he walked through the first floor of the school. "That they _slept together_?"

Damon was quiet for a minute before he burst out laughing. "Careful, people have called her Miss Steal Your Girl. She's a feisty little thing, isn't she?"

Stefan stopped in his tracks, absolutely appalled. "Fine. You know what? It's fine. I found Nova's journal. Her green leather journal that she got in 1860 because that's the first entry." He furiously ended the call and attempted to text Caroline when a feminine hand snatched away his phone.

"Hello, Stefan," Rebekah smiled up at him.

"I'm here. What do you want?"

"The same thing I wanted when you helped Niklaus dagger me. And I hope you're not waiting for Caroline to show up and stake me." She smirked and threw him against the lockers. "Because I already found her." She forcefully dragged him down the hall to the library and sat him beside Elena. "Class is in session. You've all been compelled; you know the rules. Answer my questions honestly, no disobedience, no one leaves. April, my sweet, take notes. This is how you get answers in this town. Let's start with a little quiz. In the year 1114, my brother learnt, thanks to yours truly, about a brotherhood of vampire hunters with tattoos that grew with each kill. These tattoos revealed what, Elena?"

"You're wasting your time," Stefan interjected. "We don't know anything."

"So, you just gave up? I thought you would do anything to save Elena? Even if it meant taking the cure yourself, so you could grow old and die with her?" She looked between the two and saw the visible tension. "I'm missing something, what is it?"

"Elena is sire bonded to Nova," Caroline answered because she had been compelled to.

"And that ruined the relationship how, exactly?" When no one answered she grabbed Stefan's face and was about to compel him when Elena answered.

"I had sex with Nova."

Rebekah, April, and Caroline all looked over at the brunette with varied expressions. The Original vampire started to laugh loudly and whipped a chair in front of Elena like she was interviewing the girl. "You're serious, aren't you? Well this is just wonderful. Tell me, was it anything like the rumors? I've heard her and Damon be referred to as walking and literal sex."

Elena's lips twitched. "Well you should know what Damon's like since you've slept with him. Why is me and Nova such a big deal? Because we're both girls? Does anybody realize what century it is or have you all gotten lost in time?"

Surprisingly, Rebekah grinned and leaned forward into the conversation. "You have been taken under Nova's wing, just listen to that mouth! How brave little Elena's gotten after a rousing night with Nova Vasile."

The brunette shrugged and crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. "Personally I think I got the better end of the two with Nova."

"I'm not hearing this right now…" Stefan muttered with his head in his hands.

A bunch of small black beads were tossed into the library from both doorways, exploding into black smoke that clouded the room. April gave a shout and found herself tied to a chair. Rebekah and Stefan went flying into opposite ends of the library, taking down some bookcases on their way. When the smoke finally cleared, Nova and Lethia were standing back to back armed and ready for a fight, staring Stefan and Rebekah down.

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1856]

Nova stared at the multiple locks on the training room door for five minutes before taking a clip out of her hair and breaking off a piece. With the metal clip piece and her nails she had filed into claws, Nova broke each lock one by one. Ten minutes later she was in the training room, stripping down to her shorts and wrapping.

For hours she remained unnoticed in the back of castle training away. Her hair was tied into a messy ponytail, she dripped with sweat, and she bled from her knuckles, feet, and knees. She jumped up from doing crunches to quickly punching and kicking a dummy. She froze when she heard slow clapping.

"I must admit," Felix told her, "you are strong, _dragă_. Strong and determined. Two fine qualities I will put to use, but you will never disobey my word, girl." He cracked the whip on the floor.

With a blank face Nova turned and faced the wall. She took the lashings until her back bled without moving or making a single noise. She remained vacant and returned to training with open gashes on her back after.

* * *

[Present]

Rebekah got to her feet and didn't hesitate to rush at Lethia. The blonde held her arms partially up with her palms flat up. Nova cracked her double jointed shoulders back and put her palms flat on Lethia's. She forced herself up and over the wolf, wrapping her legs tightly around Rebekah's neck on the way down. Her leather clad legs tightened like a boa constrictor until the Original vampire's neck snapped between them.

"Congrats on the easiest take down of an Original ever?" Lethia shrugged.

Nova stood and brushed herself off, giving Rebekah a kick with her boot. "She's recently undaggered and pissed off; she'll be back up in five minutes." As Stefan staggered to his feet she swiftly pulled her sai blades from her boots. "That means I've got five free minutes to kick your ass but that's all I need."

"Why the hell are you after Stefan?!" Caroline exclaimed. "He's the victim here!"

Faint yelling echoed down the hall; Nova and Lethia looked at one another so Elena spoke up. "Professor Shane was also here."

"You've got five minutes to figure it out," the ravenette told her blonde companion. Lethia nodded and darted out of the library. Nova and Stefan started to circle one another. "You've become a liability to me, Stefan. A loose end I need to cut. Damon will never truly be himself because he's always got a baby brother to worry about and protect."

"You've got a little sister too, Nova. Her name was Zina. Don't you-"

"Was, Stefan. Her name _was_ Zina because she _is_ dead. I grew up an only child, you have no leverage against me. Zina wants me dead. She is not my sister. Try again."

"What if there were more Vasiles actually alive than just you?"

Lethia came running back into the library in a panic. "Fucking Kol Mikaelson is torturing the creepy professor. We have got to fucking go like ten minutes ago."

Stefan's head jerked towards the blonde. " _Kol_?" He questioned with disbelief.

Nova's hand tightened around the hilt of her blade, jaw clenched tightly. With Stefan's head turned she gave him a powerful right hook into his jaw, knocking him down. "Are you certain it was Kol?"

"Gee, would you like the suspect to remove his clothes so you can give a positive ID?" The wolf teased with a hand on her hip. "Yes I'm fucking positive it was Kol! You don't forget a maniac's laugh whether it turns you on a little or not!"

"Caroline, don't!" Elena whispered as quietly as she could as the blonde vampire stood slowly.

Caroline took the opportunity to rush at Nova, even against Elena's advice against. Without looking away from Lethia, Nova cocked out her fist and punched Caroline in the nose. By time Nova's hand was back at her side Caroline hit the floor. Rebekah started to twitch and Stefan was grabbing at shelves to pull himself to his feet. Nova clicked her tongue as she surveyed the situation and April started bleeding from the stomach, babbling about Bonnie. "Seems we're in a bit of a pickle, Thea."

A loud snarl echoed through the hall and Rebekah started to laugh. "That would be my contingency plan; I compelled Tyler to turn and let him loose through the halls. Werewolves have a natural urge to kill vampires."

"I got Tyler," Lethia volunteered, shaking off her jacket and cracking her shoulders and spine.

"You're sure?" Nova verified.

"A Lockwood wolf? Piece of cake!" She grinned and shifted before them into a wolf so massive she nearly didn't fit out the door. She thudded through the halls on all fours to fend off Tyler.

Nova stood alone between Stefan and Rebekah as they got to their feet with her sai blades pointed out at each of them. April started coughing up blood tied to her chair; Elena's chocolate eyes shimmered admiringly up at her sire. "If you don't let me go," Rebekah bargained, "Kol will kill the professor and ruin any hope of finding the cure for anyone."

"Guess you shouldn't have played with fire then, _pizdă._ " Nova told her. "Elena, go find Bonnie and get the fuck out of here."

Rebekah started to laugh when Elena didn't move. "I compelled them not to leave until I say. Oops!"

Without lowering her sai blades she looked over her shoulder to Elena. "Come here and look at me." Rebekah scowled when the brunette obeyed. Nova looked her progeny in the eye until their irises turned black. "Go find Bonnie and get the two of you home safely."

Once the black dissipated and the color returned to their eyes, Elena turned to dash out the door but Nova called her back. Elena got close to her and she looked Stefan in the eye as she kissed his girl on her cheek before she left. "Any other contingencies around the school or can I get to kicking your asses now?"

"What's so special about those bloody daggers anyways?" Rebekah huffed. "Kol never could figure out why they did nothing but sting his skin but the great murder princess could slay hundreds. He got so frustrated he finally tossed them in a box."

Nova smirked at her. "They're charmed to feel my own essence and work only for it. All turning did was increase my essence for the blades to feel. They adapt as they need, able to draw the essence out of whoever they're attacking in a way that will cause them to die; humans are the easiest for obvious reasons but they can make vampire dessicate similarly to how Klaus' daggers do you lot in." Rebekah snarled. "Difference is that once the vampire is fully dessicated they'll just _rot_ beneath my blade so I can have it back."

"I'd wondered for so long what gave the princess her niche," Kol's voice taunted behind her. "They'd slain so many ranging from humans to the supernatural of all kinds. Even a wendigo I've heard? I hoped to use them on Niklaus but they just wouldn't work for me. Drop the blades, darling. Let my sister and the riff raff go."

"Rebekah I understand, Stefan not so much. I could have been lenient but you just had to go and ask for that 'riff raff' in my crosshairs."

"Normally I wouldn't but special circumstances and all. I don't quite feel like having an audience and last I checked that wasn't one of your fetishes either."

The ravenette laughed humorlessly. "Take Rebekah and go. Stefan is _mine_." She looked to his olive eyes with burning hatred.

"Terribly sorry sweetheart but that's just not good enough today. Stefan already knows too much you've kept up your own sleeves; can't have him knowing what's up mine. Afraid it's going to be a one on one, my sweet. Just you and me." He smirked.

She shook her head. "Not happening, so I guess I'm taking on all three of you." She smirked herself. "Should be fun."

Kol chuckled darkly as he stepped closer to Nova. He saw her visibly stiffen when he invaded her invisible bubble; he knew it was working. She couldn't see him from behind and she wasn't moving her blades to check. "You're playing by my rules now, Nova."

The moment he made contact, wrapping his arms far too low around her hips, she broke. She whirled around, turning her attention on him, and he yelled for Rebekah to take Stefan and go. She thrashed against him as Rebekah grabbed Stefan and made a quick exit. Once they were safely out Kol released the ravenette and found himself at the end of her blades. "You're making a grave mistake if you think that you can beat me. You can't."

Kol laughed a little, staring her down menacingly. He was too confident. "I know you like it a little rough in the bedroom so try not to enjoy this beating too much, sweetheart."

* * *

"What in the all fucking fuck of fucks is this fuckery?!" Lethia exclaimed as she walked into Zanadew Lounge, stepping over body after body.

"I was beginning to worry you wouldn't find the place," Damon responded sarcastically.

She looked up to Klaus with wide eyes and her arms open, awaiting an explanation. "What the fuck!"

The hybrid snickered. "Certainly shows the diversity of the word."

"Did you kill all these people?!"

"Not exactly," he shrugged. "Killing them is his job." He nodded to Jeremy who was also still in shock.

"The whole world is in shambles basically and you're pulling these shenanigans, really?"

"Weren't you supposed to be with Nova?" Damon questioned.

"Yeah, see, that's the issue here. I got Tyler to submit and shift back in time for Elena and Bonnie to come running out. I make sure all is well with the three stooges and I get a text from Caroline saying she came to to see Kol taking Nova _out_. Like she opened her eyes to see Nova bloody and hitting the floor beside her. I called her but by time she fully came to Nova and Kol were nowhere to be found. She thought she was hallucinating or dreaming."

Klaus frowned. "You're sure it was my little brother?"

Lethia rolled her eyes and groaned dramatically. "Why does everyone not think I know who Kol Mikaelson is today?! Yes I'm positive it was your little brother, fuck! I found him torturing Shane and he's the reason Stefan and Rebekah got out unscathed."

Damon was already calling Stefan before she finished speaking. "Where's Nova?" He demanded.

"Last I saw she was about to go at it with Kol otherwise it was going to be me and Rebekah," Stefan answered. "As soon as Kol gave us the opening we ran. Nova was going to kill us, Damon."

"I don't give a fuck if she was going to make a necklace of your intestines and fashion your hearts into a new crown!" He yelled back. "It's Nova, she's family!"

Stefan chuckled. "Nova said today how Zina wants her dead so she's not Nova's sister, she's not Nova's family. Nova wants me dead, Damon. She's not my sister she's not my family. She can take care of herself." He hung up without another word. Some of the bodies on the floor of the lounge started to twitch with life.

* * *

[Flashback; Romania, 1857]

Nova walked through the castle's garden, running her fingers across the stone walls. In a back corner some light purple flowers caught her eye. She found plants that looked as though they were half dead, but the vibrant purple and hard berries screamed how alive it was. Curiously she reached out to touch one of the flowers and her skin started to burn and singe. She quickly snatched her hand back and one of her ladies came running to her aid.

"Goodness m'lady, seems you're allergic," the brunette woman spoke as she put some ointment on Nova's hands.

"What is it? I've never seen these flowers here before."

"They've been growing in patches all over Romania this spring - _atropa belladonna._ Deadly nightshade."

* * *

 **A/N:** I'd really like to say thank you for the latest review, but sadly it was the second asking for _Her Name is Alice_ to continue.  
I deeply apologize to those of you who would like to see it continue, I would as well, but it's just not happening right now. Where it started to go is not somewhere I wanted to take it. I didn't plan ahead enough, I just wrote when I got ideas. I'm not proud of where it was headed and until I'm done with _Monster_ I can't and won't focus on _Her Name is Alice_. I'm sorry.  
To those of you who are reading & following _Monster_ , I greatly thank you and appreciate your support. Feel free to find me on Facebook (if you use it lol) for more information and spoilers!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan


	33. I Could Not Foresee This Thing Happening

**A/N:** So thank you to my two new reviews! I'll start off by saying thank you to _YuYuHakushoObsesser_ for your wonderful review, it made my morning lol  
To the guest before that, thank you for your review but I apologize as I have tried translating it so many different times and ways and just cannot figure out what you wrote. I am uncultured swine who does not fluently speak more than one language LOL

In other news, I have a page on The Vampire Diaries Fanfiction Wiki! You can find me there and find that through my Facebook page. On the wiki you can get more detailed information on Nova, this story, my others, my promo, and even future stories! Find me on Facebook & drop a like to stay up to date with information!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

04x12: A View to a Kill

* * *

33: I Could Not Foresee This Thing Happening to You.

Her head was _pounding_. Skin itching with fire. Nova groggily came to, her vision swirling with purple. She felt worse than hungover. Every part of her ached or was too numb to feel. She found that she wasn't restrained, but apparently with good reason. She was laid on her right side staring at the door and completely unable to move. Her lungs felt like they could collapse.

She tried to force enough strength to even crawl but ended up flopping onto her back helplessly. Something cool on her wrist clanked against the cement floor. Zina's bracelet. Tears welled in her eyes as she realized what had happened; she stared up at the ceiling of a warehouse filled top to bottom with blooming deadly nightshade. Fear clawed its way into her as she laid there beneath her own personal vervain.

"Listen, just go one at a time, only shoot for the heart, don't hesitate, and don't miss," Damon told Jeremy, handing him an arrow.

"You're only doing this to keep your mind off of Nova. We should be looking for her and Kol!"

He quirked a brow. "Didn't think you cared so much, little Gilbert."

Jeremy looked sternly at him. "She is my friend, Damon. What can I say? The Gilberts have a soft spot for her too."

"Damon!" came the soft cry of Lethia.

The two whipped around, Jeremy aiming the bow. Kol laughed a little, holding a squirming Lethia tight. He had his hand tight around her chin and jaw holding her head away to make sure she didn't bite him with the other secured around her waist. "Jeremy, good to see you, mate. Sorry about the mess." He kicked the body of a vampire that had been turned for Jeremy to kill. "Ugh, it was a little crowded when I arrived, and I prefer more intimate gatherings. Then there's this nosy little wolf always looking for her master's arse. We three need to have a little chat."

"Then let me go," the blonde writhed.

"Terribly sorry darling, but I can't have you poking around where you don't belong. You know, my brother bragged about his plan to complete Jeremy's hunter's mark. It was easy enough to track this lot down. They were all hiding in the shadows. Now, killing young vampires is easy or old ones, for that matter."

Damon snarled low. "Why? What's it to you either way?"

"Because, you fools, in your zeal to find the cure, you risk waking someone very dangerous."

"Oh...You must be talking about Silas."

"What do you know of him?"

"Nothing. Don't want to. Not our problem. Let Lethia go."

"Isn't it?"

"Uh-uh. Lethia and Nova. Now."

"A few hundred years back, I came across a group that worshiped Silas. His followers told me that he would rise again, and when he did, he would trigger the end of all time. You know, being an immortal, you can see why I'm opposed to time's ending. So I murdered all of them. And now, here you are willing to risk raising him in your search for the cure. I can't exactly sit back and let that happen, can I?"

"We're not going to back off the cure 'cause you were told one too many scary bedtime stories, you idiot." Jeremy quipped.

Kol looked around at Jeremy, Damon, and the wolf in his arms. "There are things that got buried with Silas that don't need to be dug up. Call off this imbecilic treasure hunt before you awake more than you bargained for."

"I'm not calling anything off, _mate_. Where's Nova?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Such a shame for your boyfriend to leave you unprotected, Lethia. Typical Niklaus, though. Something you should probably get used to along with being in a box for your own good. Shouldn't be too difficult when your link to Nova is already making you weak."

The wolf snarled, her fangs extending over her lip and eyes glowing gold. She stomped down hard on Kol's foot and slammed her heel back into his shin. He released her and Damon pulled her behind him quickly. "You guys need to go find Nova!" She begged them.

Kol started to laugh and took out a metal dagger from his inner pocket. "Funny thing about you Kross wolves, you always have to be careful about your jewelry because you're not actually invincible. A little titanium and you lot bleed like crazy proving you and Nova are not unstoppable."

"So what if titanium hurts me? Nothing hurts Nova. No amount of werewolf venom or vervain will keep her down."

"Then where is sweet Nova right now, hm?" He looked around mockingly. "Why do you feel so sick today? Even Damon's looking a bit green. I wonder how Elena is doing."

"Stay the fuck away from my sister!" Jeremy yelled, ready to release the arrow.

"If you wanted to teach your hunter to kill so bad then you should have asked me since I found something to bring Nova Vasile to her knees."

Lethia grabbed onto Damon when her knees started to buckle. He held her and stared back at Kol just as astounded. "I'm calling your bluff," he denied, anxiety creeping up his spine. He could feel Lethia shaking beside him.

"I wouldn't do that...who know how much time she's got left?" He snickered.

"Jer, go home to Elena quickly" Damon told him. "Find her. _Please._ "

Lethia's fists balled in Damon's jacket. She snapped and grabbed the bow from Jeremy, aiming it at Kol with tears running down her cheeks. "Find her, Jer! Go!"

She launched the arrow deep into Kol's shoulder when he lunged for Jeremy as he turned to run. Jeremy ran through the woods and took out his phone as he skid down a small hill, calling his sister. "Have you heard from Nova?"

"No, I've been trying to call her all morning. Is she okay? What's going on?"

"Kol got her. We don't know where but he was bragging that he found what brings her to her knees. Elena, he found something like vervain to use against her. He said he doesn't know how much longer she'll last."

"Where are you right now?"

"Coming to you at the house. Damon and Lethia stayed back to fend off Kol. It's not looking good, Elena."

Protective anger flooded into the elder Gilbert. Fire burned in her dark eyes. "Just get home safely. I'm going to check something out."

* * *

"A bit ironic, you coming to me for help. Weren't your friends just trying to bury me in a cement tomb?" Klaus smirked down at Elena.

She stared back at him unamused. "This is your fault. You started this when you forced Jeremy to kill those vampires."

"And now my little brat of a brother has gone and made things worse. Well, he never did like Damon. I suppose I should do something, shouldn't I?"

"Probably, since Lethia was there as well." His brows raised, eyes widening slightly. "Oh that's right, he manhandled her and she stayed back with Damon because we don't know where Nova is and he claims he's got something to hurt her. Call him off, Klaus."

"You certainly are coming out of your shell with Nova as your sire aren't you?"

"Whatever our differences, we want the same thing. Please, Klaus, I'm begging you. Whatever he's done to Nova is hurting Lethia, Damon, and I slowly too."

He rolled his eyes and took out his phone, calling Kol. "Little brother. Just two days home, and I'm told you've already gone and made a mess."

"Come on, Nik. I was only having some fun. And that girlfriend of yours is tons."

Klaus growled at the mention of Lethia. "Those vampires were for my hunter. Don't you dare lay a finger on Lethia or I will break both of your hands."

"I'll make some more. There's no shortage of people."

"Where's Damon and Lethia, Kol?"

"I gave him a good and proper beating just for old time's sake. Not my fault your little sweetheart of the decade wanted in on the fun. Taking Nova out of the equation really leveled the playing field."

"Yes. Well, you've had your fun. Now let them go and come home. Avoid any more trouble, or you'll find yourself back in a box."

"Hey, no need to be nasty about it. I was only putting the weak in their place."

"Lethia Kross is nowhere near weak, baby brother. Nor is anyone derived off of Vasile blood. You need to let the three of them go and come home now."

"To what, a dagger and a box for another couple of centuries? I'm not letting you imbeciles wake Silas and the apocalypse that comes with it!"

"You might as well because it'll be a quicker death than what Damon, Lethia, and especially Nova will do to you once they've tapped into their blood bonds."

"That's why I took out Nova first - mute the power supply and weaken the soldiers. Damon and your pretty blonde are taking a nice, bloody nap as we speak. I knew nature wouldn't allow Nova Vasile to skate by without some sort of contingency. Vampires recoil with vervain, werewolves wolfsbane. Basic law dictates that she had to have a weakness."

"Well bloody brilliant on you then for finding it, Kol. Just as we've been exposed to the white oak you have instilled fear into Nova Vasile. All you've done is force them to their lowest, to sink to the very darkest magic in their blood, the horror that binds them all. You scraped them down into that abyss and allowed it to flourish. You're so afraid of Silas and the fire behind him yet you've gone and poked at the darkest portion of a monster. They will not stop until they rip you apart, little brother. You've angered the very fiber that has bound the Vasile women's blood through centuries."

"You're lying…"

"That taliban of Silas worshippers you slaughtered, perhaps they mentioned something about a magic stone from God and dark angel that protected him?"

Kol's eyes were as wide as saucers, phone slowly sliding from his hand. On the ground behind him Damon and Lethia started to stir. What he was realizing sent fear through his bones like ice. "That's not…" He trailed off.

"You are not to lay another fucking finger upon Lethia or Damon and now Nova's life is in your hands. You let her die before I get to the bottom of the Vasile history and I will drive a white oak stake through your heart myself. There is a reason behind Nova's strength, her immunity, the bonds she shares; there is a force much greater than even us at play, Kol. The very force that began the entire game."

The youngest Mikaelson turned slowly and found Damon and Lethia on their feet. They were both still covered in blood but all of their wounds completely healed. Kol felt ready to vomit when he saw both of their irises pitch black. The phone slipped out of his hand, cracking onto the floor. His knees buckled from fear. "She is real then…" He breathed.

* * *

"Come on," Nova groaned, scraping and clawing her way across the cold, cement floor. She was wheezing and sweaty, dozens of nail marks dug deep into the ground. Everything around her spun but she kept her eyes on the metal door. She barely made it three inches before she was panting and flopped back onto the cold.

"You really shouldn't have assumed you were invincible."

She forced her head up enough to find Zina and let out a loud groan before letting her head drop back down. " _Fuck off._ "

"Did you seriously forget that you were allergic to _atropa belladonna_?" Zina chastised. "It didn't take a genius to figure out that your human allergy would hurt you as a vampire. Witches are so predictable."

"Good for you. You want a cookie?"

Zina scowled down at her sister. "When Silas is freed he'll release all of us from the Other Side. The second I'm out I'm coming for you, _surată_. In case you didn't get the memo I've even got an Original on my team." She smirked and kneeled down beside Nova. "I promise I'll show him better than you did."

Nova laughed but the lack of air made it sound raspy. "Go ahead and bend over backwards for the Mikaelsons. They won't hesitate to put you in your place quick. Klaus already killed you once, _pizdă_."

"That's why I'll be putting _him_ in a box after I have your heart in a nice glass case preserved with formaldehyde. Didn't _mamă_ ever teach you not to use such disgusting language?"

She snickered out more wheezes. "What would you care? She gave you away before you could wipe the drool off your chin."

Zina opened her mouth to rebuke when she realized she was fading. She jumped to her feet and watched her hands become translucent until she was gone entirely. The metal door whipped open and Kol came sprinting in and over to Nova. He ripped Zina's bracelet from her wrist and tossed it into a mass of nightshade. "Your sister may have found me with the aid of some of her lost trinkets but the vast collection I have outweighs hers," he muttered as he hoisted Nova carefully into his arms. "I only wanted a little payback, beautiful. To make sure you twits didn't wake Silas. But someone else has been playing from the shadows this whole time."

Nova leaned her head back as he rushed her outside and groaned a little. "What the fuck goes through your mind you lunatic?" She took a deep breath of fresh air, finally clearing her lungs, and he helped her into the passenger's seat of his car. "Her bracelet will only find its way back to me."

He took something from his pocket and clasped it around her wrist; a silver and emerald bracelet. "Your name is etched on the inside. Alina had them made before the two of you were born. She knew she was having the cursed twins and that bracelet is meant to protect you. Believe it or not there's a lot you don't know about your mum." He jumped in the driver's side and turned the engine over.

Nova rested against the seat, feeling herself healing. "Your bipolar disorder is giving me whiplash, Kol. If you're gonna kill me, do it like a man."

"I don't want to kill you, sweetheart; no, no." He turned to her and tilted her head towards him, making her look him in the eye. He smirked. "I just wanted to make sure you could be compelled."

She felt nothing but fear but forced anger to the surface to conceal it. "I'm going to rip out your spleen," she snarled through grit teeth, tears welling in her eyes.

Kol gave a soft but malicious smile and gently wiped a tear from her cheek. "You ought to be thanking me. I mean you don't really want the cure found. You fancy Elena being a vampire. You're terrified of Lethia becoming a hybrid and remaining with Niklaus forever. Well guess what darling? You and Zina going toe to toe would be enough damage if Silas brought her back. Then there's the matter of Silas and all the nasty baggage he comes with including some possible dark ties to the Vasile clan. So I'm going to spare you from it all."

"Kol, please don't do this…" She shook her head, tears streaking her pale cheeks.

"You're not gonna remember what I say, but you're going to find Jeremy Gilbert, and when you do, you're going to kill him."

* * *

"Going somewhere?" Rebekah taunted Kol. "I would if I were you. If Nova kills the hunter, Nik will not be pleased."

He tilted his head to the side, smirking. Of course Rebekah always knew everything. "I told Nik I wouldn't touch the kid. I didn't."

"Oh. Well, that was clever. I'm sure he'll really appreciate it. Probably as much as the damage all you've done affecting Lethia."

He turned and found a white oak ash dagger in his sister's hand. "You'd really dagger me?"

"If I do, Nova's compulsion ends and this is all over."

"And then you're no better than Niklaus over Nova Vasile. Daggering siblings when you disagree with them- Look at what this family has become. I mean, Elijah won't even show his face, he's so disgusted by our bickering. This cure has ruined us, and it hasn't even been found yet. Just imagine what would happen if it is."

"This family was ruined long before we knew about the cure."

Kol reacted quickly and charged at his sister with the white oak stake. "I won't let you raise Silas!" He had her against a wall with the tip aimed at her chest when both of their brains felt like it was going to explode. He dropped the stake and they fell to their knees. Then the pain stopped entirely. He looked up as the stake rolled beneath a woman's boot. He recognized the white haired girl with faint freckles across her nose and cheeks and snickered.

Rebekah groaned and got to her feet. "Riel, what are you doing here?" She questioned the girl, avoiding looking into her frightening silver eyes.

"She's got her scary face on," Kol pointed out as he rose. "The white hair and silver eyes - Klaus called her to do some serious mojo."

"I heard about the fight for the cure," the whitette told them vaguely.

Kol opened his mouth to comment again when he saw a pendant dangling from Riel's hand. His eyes widened as he watched the silver chain gently swing side to side with a beautiful peridot stone wrapped up in the metal. The very metal that curved around the peridot stone into the Mikaelson family crest. "No," he spoke breathlessly, finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. "No, no, no…"

"What are you babbling about now?" Rebekah hissed.

"You didn't...you couldn't have," he continued to ramble, slowly backing away from the women. "It'll be the end even before Silas, are you mad?!"

"Are you, brother? What the hell?"

"She's got the bloody necklace! Look!"

Riel held the hand with the pendant up to see. Rebekah gasped, a hand flying over her mouth. "But you could have only gotten that by…"

"Enough of this foolishness," came Klaus down the stairs. "What's going on?"

"I won't let you raise Silas," Kol snarled through grit teeth. "And I sure as hell won't let you wake Daciana to watch her lose herself again." He rushed past all of them and out of the mansion.

"Nik, what did you do?" Rebekah demanded. Riel's hair was growing slowly and turning blue along with her eyes.

Klaus pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number, looking at Riel the entire time. "It's begun. She needs to get herself together quicker than anticipated."

* * *

" _You're going to find Jeremy Gilbert, and when you do, you're going to kill him."_

Nova grit her teeth as tightly as she possibly could, her nails dragging on everything as she forced her way into the Grill. Her eyes scanned furiously through the crowd looking for Jeremy, but landed on Damon and Elena. She forced herself to bee line to them instead of tracking Jeremy. When she made it to them, she grabbed them both, trying not to dig her nails into their arms. "Where's Jeremy?"

"Nova!" Elena exclaimed. "What's happened to you?"

"Kol happened," she panted. Damon grabbed her, allowing her to fall against him. "Deadly nightshade. I was allergic as a human in Romania. He weakened me enough to compel me to kill Jeremy." She groaned in pain and grabbed her head. She thrashed against Damon, snarling. "Fuck!" She grabbed Damon by his collar, fangs extending and eyes darkening. "I can't stop it. The nightshade hurt me too much."

He could see the tears in her eyes before she pulled away and was dragged towards the back. Elena was horror struck; Damon knew he didn't have long to find Jeremy.

"Jeremy! Get out of here!" Nova screamed through the tunnels painfully. "Do you hear me? Don't stop. Kol compelled me. There's nothing I can do!" She threw herself into the rock walls, clawing deep into the stone, but nothing would hold her back. She clawed at her head and even hit it against the rock. "Jeremy, are you listening to me? You better run! I am coming to kill you. You need to go now! Please!" She tried to claw at the ground and walls but it was like a force was dragging her further down until she found him and threw herself onto all fours. "Jeremy please," she begged, dark hair covering her face as she tried not to cry. "Please just get out of here. I will get through this and kill Kol with my bare hands for all he's done."

"I'm not afraid of you, Nova," Jeremy told her calmly. "Compelled by an Original or not."

"Dumb move, Jer. You can't fight me in closed quarters." Her head lifted slowly, revealing her vamped out face. Her nails dug deep into the ground, trying desperately to anchor her there. "Shoot me, stake me, something, please! Take me down, Jeremy!"

Rapid footfalls grew closer and Damon swooped her into his arms protectively. "Easy, _dolcezza_ , easy. It's okay. You can resist the compulsion, I know you can."

She cried out in pain and tears started to streak her face. "I really can't, Damon...I can't do it…" She started to hyperventillate and let out another pained cry.

Damon held her close, cradling and rocking her. He kissed her temple and smoothed down her hair. Kol Mikaelson had broken her. He found her weakness and exploited it, then compelled her since she was finally weak enough. Tears started to well in his own eyes and he nodded to Jeremy. "It's okay, _dolcezza_...just close your eyes and it'll all be over soon. I'll fix this, I promise."

Jeremy aimed his wooden bullet filled gun at Nova's back, hands shaking a little. He didn't want to do it. Damon nodded again, burying his face in her shoulder. Jeremy closed his eyes and fired off four shots before Damon snapped her neck. The sound echoed through the entire cavern.

* * *

She opened her teary eyes to watch the inside of the boarding house pass by her. Her entire body ached, throbbed, and burned. She felt the bullet wounds in her back and a few more in her front. They kept her bleeding to keep her weak. She realized Stefan and Damon were at each of her sides, hauling her into the basement. She involuntarily let out a small sob. Even Stefan tensed when he heard the sound.

They laid her down on one of the small cots and Damon kissed her forehead. She could see the tears in his eyes through her own. "Please make it stop," she begged. "It hurts…"

"You're gonna be okay, Nova," Damon told her, brushing the hair out of her sweaty and bloody face. "We just...we have to bleed the compulsion out of you."

She looked past him to Stefan. "You must be enjoying this."

Stefan looked away and Damon touched her face, forcing her to refocus on him. "It'll take some time and...and neither Elena or I can see you until you're okay."

Nova scoffed bitterly and lolled her head away. "Yeah, you _must_ be enjoying this, Stefan." Damon kissed her forehead goodbye and the brothers left her, shutting and locking the door behind them. A tear slipped from her eye before she started to sob.

"This is never gonna end." Jeremy complained, sitting at the kitchen table with his sister. "If Kol doesn't kill me first, then Klaus is just gonna force me to kill more innocent people. How many is it gonna take, 10? 100?"

"And now they've found something that hurts Nova," Elena added. "The Mikaelsons won't stop to get what they want. They want to play dirty then we'll have to too."

"What do you mean?"

She reached into her backpack beside her chair and took out a handful of papers and an emerald leather journal. "Stefan's been snooping into Nova's family since day one to find some deep, hidden secrets. He, amongst the Mikaelsons, have ensured that this town will find a way to see her dead but Mystic Falls is her home."

"So what can we do? Kol won't stop coming after me and killing me risks the hunter's curse. Killing Nova would be for sport for him."

"If you kill one Original vampire, their entire sire line will die with them. That's thousands, maybe tens of thousands of vampires" she realized.

Jeremy's eyes widened with the idea. "Kol hurt Nova in a way no one has managed or should have. He even compelled her to kill me."

Elena smirked devilishly. "You're gonna kill Kol first. Then we're going to find the rest of the Vasile clan."


	34. You Came Looking Out For Me

**A/N:** I'm behind like a college kid in finals month. I actually have up to chapter 39 (episode 17) mapped out. I'm still writing 35 (episode 13) because it's just suuuccchhhh a drag for me LOL  
For some reason the two episodes/chapters on Nova Scotia are just so painfully boring for me to write, I don't know why. I'm excited for Elena to be shutting off her humanity, gonna be writing a lot of pain and angst lmao their trip to NYC will also be quite fun as the Vasiles are coming out of the shadows and Katherine's made off with the cure.  
Let's be real here, we've all been waiting too long to finally see Nova VS Katherine because that is absolutely happening.  
Reminder: Damon and Nova are engaged! When do you guys think would be the appropriate time to have a Mystic Falls wedding go bad?! Because of course it's got to go bad at some point. This story will be written all the way to the end of season eight so there's plenty of time and baddies to get in the way; let me know your thoughts~!

Thank you to all who have favorited and to _YuYuHakushoObsesser_ for the review in my absence! Once I get back ahead I hope to post regularly every Thursday in memoriam of the Thursdays we spent watching Vampire Diaries.

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

04x12: A View to a Kill

* * *

34: You Came Looking Out For Me.

For hours upon hours Nova laid on that cot, staring up at the dingy ceiling. She was still weak from the nightshade, making the bleeding wounds inflicted to bleed out the compulsion too difficult to heal. Her mouth and throat were as dry and scratchy as sandpaper, her whole body numb as if she bathed in a vat of liquid cocaine. One arm dangled off the side, her pale fingers barely touching the cold floor. Even with all the blood dripping from her body and down her arm none of it touched her silver and emerald bracelet.

She contemplated shutting off her humanity several times. That would break the compulsion too, wouldn't it? What else does shutting off her humanity do though? Can it break sire bonds? So many questions that tempted her with her humanity sitting passenger screaming out why not to shut it off. There was her and Damon's eternal promise that if one shuts it off they both do and she'd already subjected him to that once.

 _It was fun though, not having a care in the world…_

But all the innocent people they'd use as they pleased…

 _It's in your nature, it's who you are…_

"Nova…?"

She was snapped from her thoughts, forcing her gaze to peer through the small bars on the metal door. She scoffed when she saw Stefan looking back at her. "You here to snap my neck again?" Her voice came out scratchy and hoarse. "Because I woke up feeling completely un-murderous, excluding you of course." She forced a small smirk.

"Then that's not completely un-murderous, now is it?" He rebuttled.

"It is when I was compelled to kill one of my friends. Not you. You don't count."

"Why? Because you've wanted me dead since 1864 when I made Damon turn? Yeah, I've gotten enough shit from him in the last century and a half."

She started to laugh but what was once a beautiful sound came out pained and wheezy. Stefan almost felt bad. "Always so high and mighty, Steffie. No, no…" she shook her head as best as she could. "I've held a grudge against you since Monday June 18, 1860." She smiled sadly.

He stared at her with widened eyes before he remembered his purpose for venturing down to her. He tossed a vial of blood to her and watched her catch it with the hand not dangling off the cot even in her weakened state. "Damon's birthday barely a month after you arrived? Why?"

She looked gingerly at the vial and chuckled dryly. "You practically bled me dry. At least spring for a bag or something. I'm thirsty." Stefan sighed and tossed in a water bottle. "Tch, better be vodka at least. Why don't you go rummaging through your little diaries and find the date? I'm sure your emo ass wrote your side of the story and after you find it I'll tell you mine. Well, if I'm not desiccated or dead anyways."

"Don't think that'll be a concern, luv."

She groaned loudly. "What the fuck is he doing here?"

"Babysitting," Stefan told her with a hint of irritation. "Give her a vial of blood every couple of hours, so she doesn't desiccate. If she gets too much strength back, or if she just annoys you, bleed her out again."

"I'll be sure to return the favor, Steffie!" She shouted after him as he left the basement.

When Klaus heard Stefan safely away and heading out on his phone he turned to the ravenette very seriously. "Do you still have that brooch on you, luv?"

Nova forced herself to sit up enough against the cold, cement wall to really look at him. Begrudgingly she tipped back the shot of blood and sighed. "What's it matter to you? Gonna bargain for my jailbreak?" She smirked.

"No, actually, like I had told Lethia I had hope she would find it and give it to you." Nova quirked a brow. "Do you have it on you?"

Without taking her tired and bloodshot eyes off of him she reached into her jean's pocket. The fabric had been stained with dried blood and stuck together; she had to pry it apart. As soon as the brooch was free and touching her skin the six symbols appeared. "What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Use it, silly girl."

She flipped him off. "And how the fuck do I do that? Especially being down here like this thanks to your little brother."

"He never did take being a girl's runner up very well," Klaus smirked. "Even if it wasn't serious, knowing who you were still dedicated to even after everything...Kol's always had a quick temper."

"Is there a point to this?"

"Put it over your heart on bare skin and get comfortable."

"What for?"

"Because when the entire world is unlocked to someone, it'll probably take a lot out of them."

She looked down at the stone and back to Klaus. "Why? What do you gain from this?"

He smirked again. "It's pitiful watching the once great Nova Vasile self-loathing and weak rotting away in some dingy basement cell. I thought you didn't mind being the bad guy."

Her eyes went back to the brooch and she smiled softly. "I don't mind being the bad guy, because somebody has to fill that role and get things done. You do bad things for no reason. You do them to be a dick."

He chuckled lightly. "Debatable," he humored her.

"If you're gonna be bad, be bad with a purpose. Otherwise, you're just not worth forgiving…"

Klaus was quiet a moment, realizing what was going on in her mind. "If you want to break Kol's compulsion and not have to worry about it again then use the brooch. That kind of magic requires your flesh and blood and yours only. God magic and all."

When he turned and leaned against the door she slid back down on the cot, her filthy and knotted hair fanning out as best as it could around her. She held the brooch up and watched the colors swirl, each of the symbols dancing around in the galaxy. They lit up like constellations. Heaving the heaviest sigh she could without her lungs collapsing, Nova slipped the brooch beneath the side of her tattered v-neck. The cool metal gave her goosebumps for a brief second on her chest. She was about to complain about nothing happening when the pin stabbed into her skin. She cursed and was about to sit up but the brooch had stuck to her and she quickly lost whatever feeling she had left in her body. As her eyes glossed over with the trance setting in, the symbol for Divination appeared on the stone.

* * *

[Flashback/Vision; c. 1000AD]

Horses pounded against the ground, their hooves thumping loudly. The rider of the black horse in the lead was a young woman with long, raven hair pulled into a braid. Her knuckles were white on the reigns, her royal blue dress ripped and filthy. She had a bad cut on her side and temple that was still bleeding. Four men on brown horses chased after her, one running up to her side. She released one of the reigns and slashed him off of his horse with a massive silver blade of her own.

As she continued to ride, ignoring the pain she was in, two other horses came from the opposite direction at her. She grabbed her sword and aimed to fight but the two young men sped past her and fought off the three men hunting her. She skid her horse to a sudden stop, the setting sun beaming off of her emerald eyes. She watched as her saviors killed one of the men and the latter two took off running. They approached her slowly with soft smiles, getting off of their horses and dropping their swords.

"You should be safe for now," Elijah Mikaelson told her. "You are wounded, why don't you come back to our village with us? My name is Elijah; this is my brother Niklaus."

She remained on top of her steed cautiously. "Elijah?" She repeated to him with a thick accent. He nodded and she looked to the blonde who was grinning wolfishly up at her. "Niklaus?"

"Klaus or Nik is just fine, sweetheart," he told her.

* * *

[Present]

Lethia sat on the floor of the gymnasium blowing up balloons with ease. "Thanks for helping me with this, Lethia," Bonnie smiled at her. "You've got lungs of steel."

She grinned up at the witch. "The bigger the wolf the more our bodies need. Never needed an inhaler in my life. Even during the 70s. Besides, I never really got this experience for myself. High school, dances…school," she laughed a little.

"Would you want to ever?"

She finished blowing up another balloon and tapped it off, thinking about her question. "I mean, if I wasn't eternally 23 for being linked to my best friend high school would be fun as hell."

Bonnie laughed. "Well have you ever tried college?"

Lethia shrugged, a bit sad about the thought. "That was Damon and Nova's scene; I hung around most of Europe tearing apart KGB wolves - because those were a thing - while they ate coeds. Wouldn't have been much of an experience anyways."

"What about now - modern college? Like, say, you and Nova coming to Whitmore with us…?"

She was so surprised that she popped a balloon. "Wh-what?"

Bonnie shrugged and sat on her knees in front of the blonde. "I'm sure Nova could compel you guys in, right? Maybe even in the same dorm as us? I think it'd be good for you guys. We can look over their majors and stuff later if you'd like."

A smile crept its way to the wolf's pale pink lips. "I think I'd like that a lot, Bonnie."

The witch's phone rang and she put Elena on speaker when she asked where Bonnie was. "I told Caroline that I'd take her place at decade dance prep, but none of the rest of you showed. It's just been Lethia and I for a couple hours."

"I know, I'm sorry. I had to, though. Jeremy and I...we came up with a plan."

"Ooh," Lethia leaned forward into the conversation. "I like the way that sounds. Tell us more."

"Jeremy is going to kill Kol."

Their eyes widened at one another. "You want Jeremy to kill an Original?" Bonnie asked skeptically.

"Think about it. Kol's sire line must stretch to the moon by now. If Jeremy kills Kol, every vampire that he's ever turned, not to mention everyone that they've turned, will die, which means the hunter's mark will be complete and we'll have our key to finding the cure."

"Ballsy as fuck," the blonde complimented. "I am so down for this, the Gilberts getting down and dirty. Fuck yeah! What's the plan? What can we do?"

"No, no," Bonnie stood, taking the blonde and phone with her. "We're on our way, we'll figure it out. Do you think Caroline will notice if there's only 89 red balloons?"

Elena started to laugh. "Actually, probably yes." They heard a sink turn on and Elena cry out in pain. "Fuck," she cursed.

"What happened?" Bonnie and Lethia questioned immediately.

"I don't know, there's something in the water…"

Lethia watched the fury burn into the witch's face. She hung up with Elena and dialed another number, dragging them both down the hall. "My father is interim mayor right now," she explained. "I don't know how he did but he put vervain in the water supply."

"Are you fucking shitting me?" the blonde deadpanned. "How are all the humans so oblivious to the friggen civil war happening in this town?!"

"Are you serious?" Bonnie shouted when her father answered. "You dumped vervain into the water supply? Where did you even get it?"

"I have my sources," Rudy replied. "I'm also reinstating the curfew and canceling all town events."

"Dad, there's a dance tonight!"

"Not anymore."

"Seriously?" Both girls argued.

"Honey, I'm trying to protect you, not punish you. The well-being of this town is my job now."

"No! Dad, it's mine and I've been doing fine without you getting involved!"

"You've been doing fine? Would you like me to read you all the names of the people who have gone missing or died in tragic accidents, in your senior year alone? Head straight home please, we're having a family meeting."

"No." She stopped in her tracks, looking at Lethia while she spoke. "I'm finishing setting up for the dance with Lettie first. End of story." She promptly ended the call and shoved the phone in her pocket.

"Lettie?" The blonde grinned. "That's a new one; I like it!"

"If I told him your real name he'd find out who and what you are. I wasn't putting you on his radar. Would you mind grabbing more balloons from the storage closet? I'm gonna decorate the hall."

"Yes, ma'am! Even 100 red balloons will be achieved!" She darted off towards the storage when her ears picked up Kol Mikaelson's voice. Her eyes glimmered gold and she doubled back, converses pounding against the linoleum. She ran back and found Kol with Bonnie pinned against the lockers. Her eyes ignited gold, fangs extended over her lip, and she snarled. "One bite and you're dead because Nova will never give her blood to save you."

Kol snickered mockingly, holding onto Bonnie's throat. "Yes darling but one snap and your precious witch is dead because you're not _that_ fast, now are you?"

Lethia's eyes widened in horror with anger beneath. She was weighing her options, looking between the Original and Bonnie, when he released her suddenly and collapsed in pain. Kol grabbed his head, shouting in agony; it felt like his brain was melting. His head whipped to the side, snapping, and he fell to the floor. Bonnie ran over to Lethia and they just grabbed onto each other, watching the entire thing.

"That wasn't you?!" The blonde exclaimed.

"No, it wasn't me!" Bonnie shouted back.

"That's because it was me." A girl with curly blue pigtails walked over Kol's body with her hands up in defense. She had ocean blue eyes, faint freckles across her nose and cheeks, and decorated her outfit with seashell jewelry. "My name is Re-L, or Riel, Cressida. Kol's always given me grief." She smiled and tapped his technically dead body with her flip flop clad foot."

Still, the wolf and witch held onto one another. "Okay," the blonde drawled, "but who and what the fuck are you and why the fuck are you here?"

"I mean you girls no harm, I assure you. I heard the last Bennett witch was dabbling in Expression and I wasn't going to stand idly by knowing what it did to my family."

* * *

[Flashback/Vision; c. 1000AD]

"Who did this to you, child?" Esther asked as she did her best to patch up the girl's wounds. "Who do you run from?"

Her emerald eyes were sad and looked away. "I do not wish to bring my troubles to your family."

Esther smiled. "Ah, so you do speak some English. That is a beautiful accent you have; where is it from?"

She shook her head. "It is too dangerous. It would be best if I was on my way before they find your village. You have already done plenty."

Rebekah made her way into the room with haste, shutting the door behind her and handing her mother the herbs she needed. "It's far too late for you to be concerned about that, miss." She grinned.

"What do you mean, Rebekah?" Esther questioned.

"Father and the boys are already strategizing how to protect her. They have the village guarded. Look outside." They turned and looked out the small window, watching the Mikaelson men sharpen their weapons and marking plans in the dirt. Her green eyes widened with hope. "They already figured those hunters would be back for you and made a treaty with the neighboring wolves for protection. You are safe here."

She stared out at Niklaus as he finished sharpening her own sword. The pride and bravery on his face helped ease her worry. Only she had ever been able to wield that sword. "My name is Daciana," she spoke quietly, not taking her eyes off of Niklaus. "Daciana Vasile. They hunt me because I abandoned my clan as their princess. I am a disgrace to my family." Their eyes widened. "They were sent to kill me for treason because I cannot live with the knowledge I have against my clan."

Rebekah's eyes glimmered. "You're a real princess?! Oh I knew you had to be! You are too beautiful and strong to be a commoner!"

"Easy, Rebekah," Esther calmed her daughter. "I have heard of the Vasile clan. They are ruthless. You must be quite talented to escape with a hit on your life from them. I did not think they crossed the waters yet."

Daciana looked down with guilt. "That would be my fault as I stole one of their ships when I fled our country."

"You sailed a whole boat by yourself here?!" Rebekah beamed.

Esther laughed a little and took Daciana's hand comfortingly. "You will fit in well with this family then, Daciana."

* * *

[Present]

Nova started coughing profusely, so badly that she knocked herself off of the cot. As she landed on the cold floor the brooch released itself from her skin, clanking to the floor with her. She panted and snatched the brooch back, forcing herself back onto the cot. Outside the door Klaus started to laugh. "Care for another tease of blood, luv? Because that's all you can get."

"Daciana…" Her hoarse voice scratched out as she sat back on the cot. "Daciana Vasile…"

Klaus' hand snapped around the metal bar; he looked through and down at her demandingly. "What do you know about Daciana?" He growled quietly.

"I saw her," Nova told him as she leaned against the wall to look at him. "She was being chased by men from her...our, I guess, clan...they wanted her for treason because she abandoned the Vasiles. You and Elijah swooped in and saved her. Rebekah admired her. Esther tended to her wounds. You were sharpening her blade and working with your family and the wolves to protect her."

"I don't know what you think you saw," he snarled threateningly, "but I suggest you stop prying and learn how to use that thing correctly."

Nova shrugged and laid back down, looking at the stone. "I didn't choose what it showed me. I could dive back in and see where it takes me but that's it at the moment. I'd just have to hope it doesn't show me some prehistoric 50 Shades of Grey shit."

"Cut the shit, Nova," he shouted at her. She could tell she was pushing his buttons. "It wasn't anything of the sort with Daciana."

"Then tell me what it was with her or I'll put in another quarter and see what gumball I get this time."

He sighed with a small, deep growl. "Daciana ceased being a Vasile the moment she returned home with Elijah and I." Slowly his hand released the iron bar. "Rebekah always tried to play with the boys but Daciana was the one who actually challenged us. She kept up to us with ease so well that we had to keep up with her. She gave up the Vasile name in due time both to keep the mercenaries at bay as they were searching for Daciana Vasile and because she was no Vasile. If you want to get better options with your gumballs then try looking for Daciana Mikaelson."

She managed to sit forward to look up at him through the bars. "They say Daciana Vasile was mauled by an animal."

"Well something had to get back to king and queen Vasile, didn't it?" He smirked. "What better rumor with wolves around the territory? They knew about the wolves, especially when we sent a mercenary bloodied back saying Daciana was dead at the fangs of a wolf."

"Is she dead then? I know how much you prefer to keep your family in mahogany boxes."

His expression turned deadly serious. "What happened to Daciana was nowhere near my fault. What I did after was to continue to protect her."

Nova saw him turn and heard his footsteps go upstairs. She flopped back down and toyed with the brooch in her fingers. Daciana's face came to mind, reminding her of her own reflection. Emerald eyes must have been a Vasile trait. Then why did Zina appear to her with almost black eyes? Neither of their parents had green eyes either…

The symbol for Divination came back on the stone like a constellation. "You _want_ me to see things about Daciana and the Mikaelsons..?" As the colors swirled she sighed and slipped the brooch back onto the bare skin of her chest. "Alright, show me what else I don't know about my family; about Daciana Vasile-Mikaelson." She closed her eyes and the pin jabbed her skin again, making her body numb.

* * *

"You've killed, haven't you? Or are you one of those Mary Sue vampires?"

Elena's lips twitched. She was stalling Kol while Damon had Klaus' attention. The others were searching for the daggers, knowing Kol had the white oak stake. "Actually, Nova has spared me from really hurting anyone. She did it as a favor to me."

Kol snickered over his drink. "What a good sacrificial lamb she is, isn't she? I'm sure she's lost track over the years. I know I have. So, are we going to talk about Silas, or just jibber-jabber?"

Across some of the town at the boarding house, Damon was attempting the same with Klaus - drinks. "Your brother's lack of communication is infuriating," the hybrid told him.

"It's one of his trademarks, like his brooding and his hair." Damon smirked over his bourbon.

"I don't understand what's taking so long. I mean, how hard is it to steal a dagger?"

"From a vampire who's been stabbed as many times as your sister, I'd say difficult."

Klaus cut his eyes at the elder Salvatore. "When you waltzed in here I expected more of the daring escape artist breaking his lover out of jail and less idle chit chat."

Damon watched him carefully, something devilish about his expression. He opened his mouth to retort when his irises bled from ice blue to black. At the Gilbert house, the same thing happened to Elena's chocolate eyes. Their faces went completely blank, the glasses nearly slipping from their hands. They both muttered one name before their eyes and expressions returned to normal.

" _Daciana…"_

Kol's blood began to boil and he pushed Elena against a wall. "How the bloody hell do you know that name?" He sneered. "It was wiped from history."

Klaus paused with his lips to his glass before chuckling. "Well isn't that just curious. Your beloved was digging her nose in that name today as well. I'm beginning to think my theory is correct."

* * *

[Flashback/Vision; c. 1000AD]

Fire was running rampant, white ash falling like snow. "She won't wake up!" Rebekah cried, tears streaking her face. She wouldn't leave the unconscious ravenette's side.

Mikael looked down at the girls with a hint of pain in even his eyes. "We will have to move on then. Let's go, Rebekah."

"And if she isn't dead," Elijah defended, "then it could be catastrophic for the Vasiles to find her."

"I will carry her myself," Klaus offered, bending down to pick up the girl. "We do not leave without Daciana."

She had started to stir at last and as soon as Klaus grabbed her she jolted awake as though she had been thrown back into her body. Her braid had fallen out, raven hair falling in waves down her back. Eyes wide like saucers as her hair fell around her, her emerald irises glowed a magnificent emerald. She smiled to Klaus for the quickest of moments before moving even faster to swipe a fallen sword and defend against armed men.

Daciana danced with the blade, slashing and stabbing at the mercenaries. Klaus and Kol grinned at one another, liking the ravenette's zeal to fight. They grabbed swords of their own and joined her in the fight. Kol moved with great speed and stealth towards Daciana's sword he saw stuck in the ground. He swung his blade at one of the mercenaries in his path, cutting his head from his shoulders, and ripped Daciana's blade free. Clear from mercenaries he took a moment and found his brother in the crowd. "Nik!" He called. As soon as the older brother looked over, Kol threw the sword.

As soon as the sword landed in Klaus' free hand his deep blue eyes flashed emerald for a split second. The Vasile crest that had been carved previously glowed lightly and sparked the recently engraved Mikaelson crest above it. Veins appeared beneath his eyes, fangs extending over his bottom lip. He let out a loud growl and started cutting through the men with both swords in his hands.

Daciana had started to get overwhelmed. Klaus found her in the crowd and cut his way through to her. Some blood splashed across her face, a feat she had absentmindedly avoided doing herself. She heard Klaus call her name and something glinted above in the moonlight - _her sword._ She dropped the spare she had picked up, her own blade landing magnificently in her hand in its place. Veins spread beneath her darkening eyes, fangs cracking loudly as they grew. One singular mercenary remained before her and his knees began to quiver; his sword slipped from his hand. She yanked him to her and dug her new fangs deep into his carotid before shoving her blade through the Vasile crest he wore on his chest and out his back.

* * *

[Present]

Nova was flung back into her body and jolted upright with a small scream, panting heavily. One inch more forward and she would have smashed foreheads with who she swore was her own doppelganger. The woman smiled warmly at her and the feeling that came back into her body made her shake. "I'm seeing things now," she breathed.

The woman shoved Nova's legs aside and got up from where she knelt, sitting on the cot instead beside Nova. She put her icy hands on each side of Nova's face, her black bell sleeves falling down her arms. Nova saw the silver and sapphire bracelet on her wrist and gasped lightly. She looked at Nova tenderly, her thumbs gently rubbing the Romanian's cheeks. "Your face screams of Vasile, but your heart pleads Salvatore. How romantic."

"Who are you?" She demanded as the feeling and strength returned slowly to her body. "What do you know about me? About the Vasiles? Are there more…?"

She glanced over her shoulder to the open cell door and back to Nova. "I haven't a lot of time as my family is prone to quick started tantrums." She picked up the brooch that had fallen from Nova's chest. She gasped as the colors swirled for the woman like they did her. "I know you're a quick learner, Nova. You're going to need to learn to master the Rem Stone even quicker than that though."

 _So that's what it's called?_ She thought, glancing back and forth at the brooch. "It's difficult to do anything when I've been compelled and apparently my human allergy brings me to the brink of death."

Her grip on Nova's face tightened up, face serious. "Break the compulsion."

Nova stared at her absolutely baffled. "Yeah, sure, let me just flip it off now that I've spent my time-out bleeding out and locked in a basement."

"If you can compel a pastor practically made of vervain and your own sire line then you can break Kol's compulsion. He hasn't been terribly perfect at it ever. Easier on humans than vampires, let alone a Vasile."

Nova licked her dry lips. "Are you Daciana…?"

She smiled softly, grip loosening a bit but still keeping Nova's face in her hands. They locked eyes and both of their emerald irises began to bleed black until the color was gone. Kol's voice that had plagued Nova's mind so loudly started to quiet slowly. Her eyelids grew heavy and eventually closed, Kol's voice completely removed from her head. When her eyes opened again the other ravenette was gone, cell door still wide open. She blinked a few times, eyes emerald again and wounds healed. She only felt the effects of being partially starved.

" _Now go kick my baby brother's arse before I have to."_

She stood slowly, what she believed to be Daciana's voice echoing in her thoughts, but not from being compelled. She looked herself over and realized she could only pull off going out in public as she was on Halloween. She slipped the Rem Stone in her pocket and drank back a couple of basement fridge blood bags before tip toeing her way upstairs. She snuck around the boarding house carefully, making her way upstairs unnoticed. She heard Damon and Klaus talking and quickly made herself scarce, checking to see if they noticed her. They were talking about Daciana.

"She was your sister," Damon realized. "That's why everything about her vanished from record. She was just as much part of Esther's spell that made you into the Original vampires. Daciana is an Original…"

Nova's eyes widened in horror outside the door as Klaus clapped slowly for Damon's revelation. "Now think of all I must have when I ran into a young girl in 1859 and she told me her name was Zina Vasile."

She could practically hear Damon forcing a poker face. "There's more Vasiles…"

"It's quite an amazing bloodline, really. So much hidden, swept deep under several rugs through the ages. I recommend you start looking into some new lore, Damon."

Nova clamped her eyes shut and darted to her room at the end of the hall. Daciana was alive. She was an Original. She was a Mikaelson. And she wasn't the last of the Vasiles. Neither of them were. Making as little noise as possible she cleaned herself up and changed her clothes. She didn't have enough time or ability to fix her hair so she put it up. She slipped back down the stairs unnoticed and out to her Firebird. Flipping down the passenger visor a spare set of keys fell onto the seat beside her phone that had been left there. Immediately she dialed Lethia. She needed a destination before turning the engine and giving herself away.

"Go to Elena's," the wolf told her. "Quick. Kol will be rearing back and he's been invited in. We've got to wrap something up at Bonnie's."

"You make it quick then too," Nova replied. "The proverbial shit is hitting the fan for real now." She hung up, tossing her phone back aside, and turned the key. The Firebird roared to life, echoing down the street. As she peeled out of the driveway Klaus and Damon made it to the window, watching the emerald Firebird speed away.

* * *

Lethia slipped her phone back into her pocket, staring down at Rudy Hopkins' unconscious form on the floor. She and Bonnie let out a screech as Riel's blue hair grew out and turned brown, eyes turning grey and freckles darkened. "What the fuck?!" Lethia screamed, shoving Bonnie protectively behind her.

"My apologies," Riel spoke gently, "but we haven't got a lot of time. Riel is a nickname - slash - alias. My full name is Auriel Cressida. The Cressida Coven is faction of Moores and too many have lost themselves to Expression. I always thought I was a real witch," she smiled sadly. "But everyone in my coven kept telling me 'no'. Expression decimated my coven. It's coming for more and forced me to run."

The latter two girls relaxed slowly. "How did you end up working for Klaus?" Bonnie questioned.

Riel sighed. "I don't like to think I work for him. He calls me in times of emergency and in exchange he helps keep me hidden from my coven and other Moores. When he calls I have to go." She shrugged. "I was already halfway to Mystic Falls when he called me this time."

"So what does he call you for then for emergencies if you don't practice Expression or Moore magic?"

"Transmutation," Riel smiled. "That's how I can change my appearance at will. This here is the real Auriel. My appearance changes as I need - except the freckles, those I can never get rid of - or in times that I'm doing great magic because I do practice magic. Funny thing about the term 'magic' - it's incredibly vague. Klaus gave me a few grimoires to practice with but other than that I make what I can happen with the Transmutation that already comes naturally to me. All Transmutation is is warping and bending reality which basic magic is too. I've made peace with the spirits and they grant me leeway. I wanted to stop you before you turned your back on them."

"Okay but what did Klaus call you to town for?" Lethia grilled skeptically.

Jeremy ran in through the back door suddenly, calling for Bonnie for Elena. Riel got scared when she sat him and her appearance quickly changed to short pink hair and bright blue eyes. Jeremy stumbled back against a counter with surprise of his own. He looked back and forth between Lethia and the pink haired girl, and briefly down to Rudy, absolutely lost. "What the hell…?"

Bonnie turned to Jeremy to assure him everything was fine as Lethia put her back against Bonnie's and did the same for Riel. "Lethia helped me at the school earlier," the witch told Jeremy.

"He's alright," Lethia told the pinkette. "He's even a hunter! Like, a good kind of hunter."

"Riel is a witch, in a way. She didn't appreciate the way Rudy had been talking to us."

"He smokes with Nova and I like all the time. He's here to help."

Riel laughed a little and relaxed, Jeremy doing the same. "Alright," Bonnie declared, "now we need to get Elena's."

"Yeah," Lethia agreed, "Nova will only hold Kol off for so long before she kills him herself. She doesn't know the plan; if she gets her hands on that white oak stake she'll kill him."

* * *

Elena opened the door to find Kol and fear ran through her bones. "I've considered your request for a truce. Request denied." He told her with a malicious countenance. She shut the door as hard as she could, even against him shoving back. "I'm sorry," he shouted outside the door, "I've already been invited in!"

Nova swooped up behind Elena just before he kicked in the door and whisked her upstairs. Elena immediately threw her arms around the ravenette. She put a finger to her lips, hushing Elena, and all the lights went out. She pointed to Bonnie and Riel sitting on Jeremy's bed channeling each other. She mouthed ' _stay_ ' and silently made her way down the stairs.

"Hide and seek?" Kol shouted through the dark. "Fine by me."

"Actually," Nova's voice resonated through the dark without her being seen, "it's called Manhunt in the dark."

He started to laugh. "Ah, sweet Nova. Here to kill the hunter for me?" He started looking around for her, growing concerned when he only heard her voice. It wasn't _that_ dark in the house, how was she hiding so well in the shadows? The witches?

"Funny thing about Vasiles and compulsion, Kol. Maybe you're just not that great to begin with. I've always excelled and I take it it's a safe assumption to say Daciana did as well."

"Keep her name out of your mouth!" He shouted back, searching desperately for her emerald eyes to gleam in the dark.

"Why? She's technically _my_ ancestor whether she abandoned the name to become a Mikaelson or not. Besides, you might rather want to deal with me than her right now."

"Oh yeah, _princess_? What makes you think that?"

"Because I've seen Daciana put you on your ass and she told me to this time."

Kol snarled and took out his phone, calling Klaus. "Well, if it isn't the happy homicidal maniac," he greeted.

"Did you know that your darling former blood bag and her brother are trying to kill me?" Kol snapped. "Or that your jilted never-would-have-been wife has talked to Daciana recently?"

" _What?_ "

"Don't pretend like you're not in on it. Your obsession to find the cure clearly trumps any sibling loyalty you once felt. What lies had you fed her to make her turn her back on me, huh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kol."

"Daciana would have defended me. She wouldn't have let you keep me in that bloody box and you know it. All day I have heard nothing but questions of Daciana when her name was supposed to lost in time for her safety. I'm going to rip off Jeremy's arm and kill Elena just for sport. Then I'm going to finally end the Vasile name _in total_ , once and for all, so I never have to hear that pitiful name again. Then I'm coming for you, Niklaus."

He hung up the phone and looked up the stairs to see Elena with a crossbow aimed at him. She didn't hesitate to shoot him, burying the arrow deep into his leg, and speeding off through the house. Kol snarled and harshly ripped the arrow from his leg before storming up the stairs. Halfway up the stairs started to warp beneath him, sending him tumbling back down to the bottom before returning to normal.

"I know that's you, Riel!" He shouted upstairs. "And I know that Niklaus made you wake Daciana! You have sixty seconds to change your allegiance or I'll give you right to the Moores my bloody self."

Jeremy shot him with wooden bullets a few times from behind the kitchen wall, gaining his attention. He dropped the gun and took out a stake, charging at Kol. He's get Kol down long enough to retrieve the white oak stake and finally end it. Kol grabbed him by the arms and bent them back behind him. Over the railing of the stairs Nova's legs came swinging down and wrapped around Kol's throat tightly while she held onto the rail with her hands still. Once he let go of Jeremy she pulled them both up and over the rail before kicking him back down them.

Kol got back onto his feet quickly, his nose bleeding from where Nova's boot landed. The ravenette leaped down all of the stairs, tackling the Original to the floor. They started to wrestle across the living room, punching, kicking, and clawing violently. He threw her into the coffee table, breaking the wood. She snarled and grabbed him again with her legs, flipping him over her and towards the kitchen. They both stood, Kol in the kitchen and Nova in the living room, wiping blood from their mouths, glaring at each other. She knew the white oak stake was in his inner jacket pocket; she had felt it.

Nova acted first and threw a punch. He ducked and blocked the second one, slapping her fist away. She spat a mouthful of blood and gave him a sharp right in his nose, breaking it and sending his head backwards. Once Kol regained himself and Nova crossed over into the kitchen, he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall. She kept trying to punch or knee him and claw at his jacket while slowly losing air.

He started to laugh. "As your dying act you want to take my clothes off? I'm so tempted, sweetheart. But what's a first date without flowers, hm?" With his free hand he reached into the pocket with the stake and took out a bright purple deadly nightshade flower. "They're just beautiful, aren't they?" He asked as she started to cough and wheeze with the flower in her face. Still, she clung to his jacket, desperately trying to reach her slender fingers around the stake.

The back door whipped open and Lethia ran in, grabbing Kol around the throat from behind and ripping him off of Nova. He threw them to the floor, smashing her head off the floor. She used the momentum to drive her skull forward and smash it into his, knocking him off of her. She saw Nova coughing as she slid to the floor pointing a few feet away. Lethia's amber eyes followed her best friend's claw like nail and found the white oak stake having been knocked from Kol's jacket pocket onto the floor as free game. As soon as she took her eyes off of him Kol lunged. He threw her up against a wall with his hand in her chest, tight around her beating heart.

Lethia's cry rang through the entire home. Nova's eyes started to bleed black with rage, fangs slowly extending, when Jeremy ran in at full speed. He swept the white oak stake off the floor and rammed it into Kol's back. The youngest Original screamed in pain of his own, forcibly releasing Lethia to the floor. Once Lethia hit the floor and exhaled safely Jeremy pushed the rest of the stake into Kol's back, sending him up in flames. He then turned to the girls and called for Elena. The brunette came running down to help her sire onto the living room couch as her brother helped the blonde with the same.

"What did you do?!" Klaus screamed, pain clear in his voice, from the front porch.

"We didn't have a choice. He was trying to cut off Jeremy's arm!" Elena shouted back defensively.

"Lies! He never would've gotten inside if you hadn't have set a trap for him."

"You said you were going to put him down too."

By that point Klaus was visibly furious. "I was going to make him suffer on my terms! I'm going to burn this house to the ground. And then, when you try to flee for your lives, I'll kill you both without blinking."

"You kill us, you'll never get to the cure." Jeremy told him at his sister's side. "You'll never be able to make any more hybrids."

"I didn't want more hybrids you imbeciles! Only one and with good reason because she's currently bleeding on your couch."

They were both surprised and looked to the girls on the couch. Nova was healing slowly and had laid across the couch with Lethia on her back, her head in Nova's lap. She pet Lethia's hair gently while the blonde drank from her other wrist, a single tear escaping from her eye. The gaping wound on her chest was healing but she was still bleeding in the meantime.

"Invite him in." Bonnie spoke sternly from the middle of the stairs. They looked up at her with confusion. "Do it and get Lethia and Nova out of here."

"I want to see Lethia first," Klaus bargained in a low growl.

Bonnie looked from him to the bleeding blonde before nodding. Jeremy begrudgingly invited him inside while Elena urged Nova to go. Nova refused without Lethia; they always left the battlefield together. Through eternity. They thought Klaus would make a fuss but he let it be and knelt down beside them both. He kissed her forehead gently and told her in Estonian he would take care of everything. Once the girls and Gilberts had been safely ushered out of the house he demanded to see Kol. Bonnie stepped onto the porch and told him to go to the kitchen then. When he couldn't cross the threshold, he snapped.

"Witch, you can't do this to me!" He yelled.

"You have no idea what I can do now." She shut the door with magic and turned to the others. "Re-L advised me not to and I advised her to leave beforehand."

* * *

"Surprised you actually showed," Rebekah commented as Elijah opened the door to Klaus' mansion for her.

"When I get a call from an unknown number with a voice I haven't heard in centuries it gives me reason to find out what you three could have possibly done this time," he retorted.

They walked towards the parlour where Klaus would usually paint; a fire was already going with a chair in front of the fireplace beside an unfinished painting of Daciana that Klaus had began. They could see someone sitting in the chair with a glass of red wine (if not blood) and exchanged wary glances. A woman stood from the chair dressed in tall black heels, tight dark blue pants, and a black long sleeve shirt with bell sleeves and a low sweetheart neckline. Her dark hair glistened with the fire behind her, a shade of blue highlighting off of the strands delicately, emerald eyes joyful but domineering. Rebekah and Elijah thought they were looking into the eyes of a ghost.

Daciana set down the glass and embraced them both warmly. She even still smelled like lavender and coconut. When she released them she put a hand gently on each of their faces and smiled. "It's so wonderful to see you both again; Rebekah, Elijah. I've missed you dearly."

"I-it's really you…?" Rebekah sputtered.

"Niklaus found a way to break the spell?" Elijah asked.

She nodded. "Yes, and yes. Now, I know we've all had our issues, especially with Niklaus," she laughed a little, the sound melodic. "But right now we're going to need to work together as a family."

"What's happened?" Her brother questioned.

Daciana's expression turned cold and regretful. "Our brother Kol is dead." Rebekah gasped. "Niklaus is spelled inside of the living room of the Gilbert house while Kol's remains lay in the kitchen beside him." The younger sister covered her mouth and hugged tightly to her older sister. "It's time, now that I've been awoken, to regain and reign this town since Niklaus has made a mess of it like he's notorious for. Mystic Falls belongs to the Mikaelsons."


	35. And Now My Heart Does Sink

**A/N:** I'm so sorry I suck so bad but in my defense this time, it's not my fault! LOL

My laptop charger decided it no longer wanted to actually charge my laptop. Okay, fine, cause it would hold the charge it had and not let my laptop die. That worked just fine. NOW IT BARELY WANTS TO DO THAT lmfao  
I got lucky today because we _needed_ my laptop and my hubby got it to not charge. Literally I can't even move from my spot with my laptop cause the tiniest shift in the charger will ruin everything.  
Did I mention or wifi situation also sucks? Where's Sam Winchester when you need him? LOLOL

But in the meantime, here is chapter 35 to hold y'all over lmao  
I'm hoping to get a new charger soon and from there I'll be able to be post regularly. I also have the companion for this story up and running, just not posted yet until I get further with it. _Rise_ is the official companion, but I've decided to do a prequel of sorts to that called _Devil in Me_ which is part II to _Rise_ kind of like how we're on part II ( _Like Me_ ) of this story. Is that as confusing to you guys as it is to me? Cause I'm going bonkers doing my own little CW mashup lmao

To _prfh,_ my guest who recently reviewed, I had to use Google translate (I apologize, I'm seriously uncultured swine lolol) and I'm really sorry that Kol had to die but he kinda did in the show too LOL don't worry, he's wreaking havoc on the Other Side as we'll soon see! Spoiler alert though, I'm writing the next chapter - episode 15, Stand By Me, where Jeremy also dies. Now, I do have plans for that I assure you all, but Jeremy has to die as well. Some deaths are just unavoidable but very likely that they'll come back anyways LOL

Thank you all for being ridiculously patient, I promise it's worth the wait!  
Seriously, for more updates, find my page on Facebook. No way the entire lot of you don't have Facebook LOL

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

04x14: Down the Rabbit Hole

* * *

35: And Now My Heart Does Sink.

"Congratulations; we made it."

Had Nova not been so incredibly nauseous, she would have wrung Shane's neck for such a comment. She would bounce between standing and squatting near the shore where they landed. Sweat beaded on her forehead and neck and she tried to breathe steadily to ignore the rising bile in her stomach. "Couldn't they have hidden the fucking cure in Florida or some shit? Where the hell did you take us on that Gods awful boat ride?"

Damon chuckled lightly and was already pulling his fiancee's hair into a ponytail. "Did I forget to mention she gets horribly boat sick and will likely tear your head from your shoulders if you waste her time at all?"

"Two hundred miles off the Nova Scotia mainland." Shane answered quickly. "If you recall, the whole point was to hide the cure on the world's most obscure, desolate island."

"Oh yeah? I thought the whole point was that no one found Silas, the oldest, deadliest freak in the world."

Nova's face turned positively green. "For the love of all things unholy…" She choked out before running off to empty the contents of her stomach. She stayed out of sight from everyone for a few minutes to cool down, leaning against a rock and staring out at the sea. She took a red lollipop from her bag nearby and popped it in her mouth when her phone rang. "And this is exactly why I've always used international calling and payed the fucking fees," she greeted with a tired grin.

"Yeah, well, I can say I'm pretty thankful right now too," Lethia answered. "Keep an eye on Rebekah."

"What for now aside from the hunt for the cure?"

"That's just it, Nov...you thought the Mikaelsons had asinine loyalty to Klaus? That's nothing compared to Daciana."

"Daciana? What's she got to do with any of this?"

"I don't know what her endgame is, but right now she is _pissed_. She's the third oldest Mikaelson - Elijah, Klaus, Daciana, Kol, Rebekah. Sometime after she became a freakin' frackin' _Original vampire_ , she ditched the Vasile name for Mikaelson and ruled alongside her newfound siblings as they pleased. Well the Moores found her before the Vasile mercenaries and used some nasty spell to put her down and desiccate her because not even their magic could kill her."

"What about white oak…? She's still an Original, the white oak stake and ash daggers should put her down, right?"

"Yeah, don't we just wish. You're immune to vervain and she's immune to white oak."

Nova let out a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well if my human allergy causes me pain as a vampire then there's got to be something that weakens her too."

"I'll keep checking, but that's not even the worst of the news I have for you."

She sweatdropped. "It gets worse? Because I was just on a fucking boat until we landed on the shore of fucking Nova Scotia."

"Gross. My deepest sympathies. But currently Mystic Falls is a battleground and no one knows it. Klaus - surprise, surprise - kept his sister's desiccated body in a pretty box until he could find someone to break the spell. Someone of Moore descent."

"That pink haired chick at Elena's?"

"Yup. Her name is Auriel Cressida. She fled from her faction of the Moores because she thought they were real, nature practicing witches. They told her real quick they weren't and they were knee deep in Expression. She bailed and Klaus found her. Anytime he needs some serious mojo he calls her."

"So what took so long for him to wake Daciana if he's had this girl up his sleeve for some time?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out but let me tell you, none of the siblings want Daciana's name so much as in anyone's mouths. She hasn't questioned Klaus' motives - yet - and instead even called friggen Elijah into town."

"And he just came?!"

"Like a moth to a giant bonfire. Apparently she is absolutely livid that her baby brother was killed and one of her older brothers is trapped in the living room of the house the other brother was deep fried in. I think she's tapped, Nov."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I think there's one singular strand of spaghetti left up in her dome and it's so dry and thin that it's snapping and when it snaps she will rain down fire upon this town in the Mikaelson name."

Nova's eye twitched a little. "Over my dead, cold, and lifeless corpse she will. She told me to kick Kol's ass!"

"Kick his ass, not drive a white oak stake through his heart!"

"Hey! I was not the one to do it! As much as I wish I would have been."

"My point exactly. You fight for the good of the Vasile name, something Daciana very clearly despises."

"I just don't understand; she broke me out of the basement and broke Kol's compulsion on me."

"She's got something up her sleeve and I don't like it. I'm gonna get some answers today. Be wary of Rebekah since she's had a chat with her cray-cray big sister. Daciana doesn't like what's become of her family's name. They used to run NOLA and what Mystic Falls was before it was a town. And that's just in America."

"I just don't understand what her purpose for sending Rebekah to get the cure would be." She looked to the blonde Original briefly. "The witch who cast the spell locking Klaus in the house is here with us."

"Maybe she sent Rebekah to kill Bonnie and break the spell? Hell if I know. I'm gonna stir the pot out here; keep an eye on Bonnie and Rebekah then."

"Got it. Be careful, Thea." When the call ended she let out a long sigh that sounded half like a groan. "What the actual fuck has become of my life?"

* * *

Black converses jogged down the street and up the few steps onto the Gilbert home porch. Caroline and Tyler looked curiously at the blonde wolf grinning up at them. "I'm so sorry about this, but I did say I was going to be stirring the pot." She shrugged. Before either of them could open their mouths Lethia grabbed each of their chins and whipped their heads in opposite directions, snapping their necks with ease. She hastily propped them both up on the swing and barged into the house.

Klaus sat on the stairs and clapped, smirking. "Impressive, little wolf. Too bad you can't just jailbreak me without the witch."

"You shut your pie hole!" She shouted, pointing a finger at him. "Where the fuck is Riel?"

He raised his brows and walked past her, looking at some of the books on the shelves. "You're awfully bold today, luv. What do you want with Riel?"

"What the fuck do you think?! Your adoring sister Daciana is about to wage war on this tiny town in the Mikaelson name. If I don't at least get you out of here in the hopes of appeasing the beast then she'll come storming in with gods knows who and what!"

"I appreciate the effort, Lethia, but once Daciana has her mind set to something about our family there is no swaying her. She will come for me and avenge Kol. She could bring him back and still vindicate his death."

"Wh-what?" She blinked in surprise.

He chuckled a little. "You think Zina Vasile was the first to get her hands on that stone? No, no; Daciana took that stone and a ship and fled the Vasile clan. She knew what they intended on doing with the stone. She hid it centuries ago away from any prying eyes. The stone coupled with her having become an Original made her unstoppable."

"Did it also cause her mind to turn to goo?" Klaus cut his eyes at her. "What's wrong with her, Klaus? Why did it take you so long to wake her up if you knew Riel could do it this whole time? Why'd you make her name vanish from existence? It wasn't just because of the Vasiles."

"Don't go asking these questions, Lethia."

"I already have and I won't stop until I get answers."

He sighed. "I know you won't," he muttered under his breath. "I ask you as a favor to me not to delve into this, luv. Please."

She bit her lip but shook her head. "I'm sorry, Klaus, I can't. She's threatening this town, my friends; _Nova._ Whether she abandoned the name or not she is a Vasile. That drags Nova into it and by default me. If you won't tell me where Riel is then I will find her myself."

"It won't do you any good. Bonnie Bennett has been dabbling in Expression meaning that's what this barrier spell is based from and only Expression can break it."

As Lethia backed up towards the door Klaus could see something dark and protective in her amber eyes. "Then I guess she's just going to have to go darkside for ten minutes, isn't she?"

* * *

"Well, all of us and no one thought to bring s'mores."

Nova grinned at the blonde as she pulled a giant bag of marshmallows from her backpack. Damon started to chuckle and she reached back in, taking out a box of graham crackers and chocolate bars. Elena laughed, causing Stefan and Rebekah to roll their eyes. "Lethia and I have always had a thing for sweets, especially when we were camping."

"You and Lethia would go camping?" Bonnie asked. Jeremy handed her a stick he had sharpened before walking off and Nova tossed her a marshmallow.

"Oh yeah!" The ravenette beamed, taking a bite of chocolate. "We'd try to do girl's weekend trips at least once a month around the full moon."

"Shouldn't that have been when you avoided camping?" Rebekah commented.

"Probably, but it was our favorite time. The moon phases have always affected each of us and linking us together made it hell sometimes. Lethia and I would get away as often as we could to derail together in the woods." She smiled. "It never gets old seeing innocent campers and hikers stare into the eyes of a giant golden wolf with a vampire on its shoulders."

"If it's so much fun for you," Rebekah quipped, "why look for the cure?"

Nova smiled tauntingly and slipped a marshmallow onto a stick of her own. "I've got my reasons. I just didn't anticipate an Original wanting the cure. Who knew one of the very first vampires could hate herself and her life so badly that she'd want to be bland and helpless as a human. Especially since Daciana is back in play." She shrugged.

"You don't even have the right to use her name," the blonde hissed.

Elena stood quickly. "Yeah, I'm gonna go check on Jer." She walked off in the direction her brother had gone.

"You all keep saying that but it's her name and I'm going to use it," Nova argued. "I'd get it if it was to keep her hidden still, but she's back in the game now. It won't be long before word spreads."

Rebekah sighed and crossed her arms, staring at the fire. "Becoming an Original dismantled Daciana," she admitted. "With the cure her and I can be normal again. Wouldn't you want that? To be normal again instead of a monster?"

Everyone fell silent, eyes subtly looking at Nova, waiting for a response. The ravenette's face was void of anything giving away what she was thinking. "I'm not human," she spoke at last, her voice deathly calm. "And I wouldn't trade it; I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I can't be what other people want me to be. I'm not the good girl, remember? I'm the selfish one; I take what I want, I do what I want, I get what I want. This is who I am, and I'm not going to change."

Stefan's jaw had started to drop. His olive eyes looked between the Romanian and his brother; what he saw in Damon as he stared at Nova was nearly as bad. Stefan had hope held out that they could all just start over as humans until Nova opened her mouth. He looked to Damon in the hope that his brother wouldn't agree, that he could get Damon to change her mind, but all he saw in his brother's icy eyes was admiration and agreement. If he wanted Damon and Nova to take the cure he'd have to force it down their throats.

Shane cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence that had come over them. "Nova, do you by chance have that old brooch with you?"

Her gaze snapped over to him, eyes cut curiously. "What's it to you?"

"Expression can get messy, especially since Bonnie is still rather new at the practice. That stone is a heavenly object that could help her and all of us in the long run just in case. You see, lore has it that only a female descendant of the Vasile line can use it; that the woman who does can access the six most vital and vague aspects of magic. If one gains mastery over the six she is essentially granted access into bending reality as she sees fit. She can create, bend, warp, destroy, revive; she'd be basically unstoppable."

Nova's hand had migrated towards her pocket when Elena came running back in hysterics. Jeremy was gone without a trace. She checked his tent and the surrounding area but couldn't even get a scent. The stone in Nova's pocket started to burn against her upper thigh. She took it out as everyone came up with a search plan and saw the colors start to swirl. It almost hypnotized her before Damon called her name, breaking the trance. She slipped it back into her pocket and they took off across the island to search for Jeremy.

Hours passed without a single sign of the hunter. Nova was growing increasingly frustrated; there hadn't been a single person on the face of the Earth she couldn't find if she had been purposely looking. Jeremy Gilbert couldn't just vanish off of the coast of Nova Scotia. The more she searched and grew angry, the hotter the brooch became in her pocket.

"Jeremy!" Elena cried. She turned to Bonnie pleadingly. "Did you find anything?"

"He's not on the trails," the witch answered solemnly.

"He's not at the quarry either," came Stefan.

Bonnie looked to Nova, something in her dark eyes just breaking the Romanian's heart. "I'm gonna do a locator spell."

Nova slipped the brooch out of her pocket and watched the constellations for Illusion and Conjuration glowing. "The stone is telling you to use those two types of magic together," Shane told her.

She made a face, still staring down at the stone. "I only got a taste of Divination the other day and I don't know how it happened. It just showed me what it wanted."

"Exactly, it wants to work with Bonnie's locator spell. You'll boost each other giving further insight into Jeremy's location and well being."

"Neither of you have to do this if it's too dangerous," Damon cut in. "We can find Jeremy the old fashioned way if we keep looking."

"I'm doing this," Bonnie replied, grabbing one of Jeremy's shirts for her spell.

Nova shrugged and stood across from her with the fire between them. "If she's got the balls then there's no excuse why I shouldn't."

"You're sure, Nova?" the witch asked her gently.

She nodded and unzipped her jacket. "Let's do this."

Bonnie started chanting for her spell, the wind picking up around them. Nova took a breath and slipped the brooch beneath her jacket and shirt onto the bare flesh of her chest. She held it there until it pricked her, clinging itself onto her chest. She got one last look at Damon before her irises turned black and the temperature dropped. Frost started to form on the trees and the fire between the two girls erupted. After a moment Nova started chanting alongside Bonnie in a language not even Shane was sure of.

" _Pa veh tal  
_ _Drux ur na  
_ _Ceph un ger  
_

 _Vita ni mals  
_ _Med xi taf vi  
_ _Gal veh gisg na_

 _Co van dru  
_ _Gon lo en u  
_ _O vi i'al de_ "

Bonnie flung Jeremy's shirt into the fire and a trail of flames erupted from the side, leading away. Bonnie's trance took her down the fiery path, leaving Nova still chanting her own spell at the fire. With both girls occupied and the rest still scanning for Jeremy, Shane had tried to take off. Damon quickly snatched him up but Nova's chanting started getting out of hand. The wind whipping around them had grown dangerously icy. It whipped her hair and jacket around until the leather jacket blew right off of her, leaving her in a dark grey long sleeve v-neck with the stone stuck against her pale skin. It had pricked and embedded so deep her blood started to drip more heavily, partially staining her clothes.

" _Tal med xi  
_ _Ceph vita o vi mals  
_ _Lo en pa gisg  
_ _Na un veh i'al_

 _De u drux van  
_ _Vi vesa ra o es  
_ _Na ki zod ger na  
_ _Qua gon med es la_ "

Shane's eyes went wide, hearing her chanting change. He looked past Damon who had also turned and looked at the scene, both of them watching her face change. Thunder rolled in the dark clouds above them, thick ice forming on the ground. "You need to stop her!" He shouted over the roaring thunder, fire, and chanting. "Something changed, it's a darker spell!"

Damon didn't hesitate and sprinted full force at the other ravenette. He jumped for her, wrapping himself around her and tackling her to the ground. She gasped for air, the fire dying down and eyes returning to emerald. The brooch detached itself, falling off and onto the ground beside her. Before the colors faded they all saw only one symbol staring back at them: Necromancy.

"I don't understand," Shane commented. "She was already using Conjuration and Illusion. It shouldn't have been able to change mid-spell like that, let alone to Necromancy."

Damon's eyes caught sight of what had blown off Nova's wrist when he grabbed her. He picked up Zina's ruby bracelet spitefully. "I've got a pretty good idea who was trying to use Necromancy through Nova."

* * *

"Dammit, Nik!" Lethia yelled as she burst into the Gilbert home again. "Where the actual fuck is Riel?! Stop playing games with me!"

"Who the fuck is Riel?"

The blonde let out a loud groan, throwing her head back to do so, as Tyler rounded the corner and cut her off. "Fuck off, Lockwood, I'm in a bit of a rush."

"Who's Riel?" He asked again. "What do you need her for? Fuck, what's Klaus have her for?"

"It seems everybody is searching for Auriel Cressida today."

Klaus quickly pulled Lethia behind him, seeing the man in a black suit in the doorway. The blonde stepped in front of him, baring her fangs and snarling protectively. "And who the fuck are you?"

He smirked and a silver blade slipped from his sleeve into his hand, eyes turning entirely black from corner to corner. "That's who the fuck I am."

Tyler reacted first, also baring his fangs, and lunged at the stranger. The black eyed man grabbed Tyler by his throat, lifting him off his feet, and tossed him to the side effortlessly. He stepped over the threshold, eyes locked on Lethia and Klaus. As hard as Klaus tried to shove her behind him she kept fighting to stand forward. Her amber eyes ignited gold, fangs sticking out over her bottom lip. "I'd heard rumors of demons and their magic silver blades but I never thought I'd get to fight one."

Klaus tried to grab her before she ran off, but her hand slipped from his. He witnessed her land a few good blows before the demon grabbed her by the throat. Klaus lunged for him, his own eyes ignited dark and gold, fangs extended with protective rage. Everything slowed down as Klaus reached for his little wolf, the sound of something sharp breaking through skin and echoing through the house. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw blood drip from Lethia's mouth, the silver blade shoved deep into her abdomen.

The demon smirked as she coughed up blood, shock all over her paling face. "Angel blades aren't made of silver, they're made of titanium, Kross wolf." He ripped his blade from her flesh, letting her drop to the floor, and turned to Klaus. He took two steps when a silver point came poking from his chest. He ignited and flashed gold before falling to the floor with Riel standing behind him, her own angel blade in her hands.

Klaus grabbed onto the railing of the stairs beside him, leaning against the wall for support. Riel wiped the demon's blood off on her dark jeans before slipping the blade back into her belt loop. She went first to Tyler, getting him on his feet and ushering him towards the door. "Go to Caroline and don't return tonight. Understand?"

Tyler nodded quickly, scrambling out of the house. He fumbled to get his phone out of his pocket as he ran down the street and pulled up Nova's contact ID. He looked back at the house before pressing the call button and continuing running.

When Riel turned back around Klaus had gathered Lethia up in his arms, desperately trying to give her his blood. It would start to help and slow down the bleeding, but the hole in her skin wouldn't heal. She kept choking on her own blood, some starting to drip from her nose as well. Klaus looked up to the blue haired girl with the most intense pain she'd ever witnessed, let alone from him, in his eyes. Tears even glossed over his blue eyes. "It turns out you'll be doing some old, dark, family magic today, Riel. I suggest you brush up quickly."

* * *

Nova's eyes opened slowly but she didn't recognize her surroundings. She wasn't on Nova Scotia anymore, but how? She found herself on a dusty old couch in a just as dusty and old living room of an apartment. The walls had started to crack, cobwebs and dust all over them. The bow window she had been laid at had frost all over the glass panels with a little trident drawn into one of them. She hesitantly stood, looking all around the room for a hint of where she could be, but she had absolutely no idea where she was. Was it Hell?

"Oh no, kiddo, you're not in Hell. Trust me, you'd know." A man snickered in the darkness.

"Would I?" She retorted, still looking all around for at least the source of the voice. "Because I don't know this place and I don't know you."

A man came out of the dark back hall chuckling low. She took a cautious step backwards not recognizing the sandy blonde hair or domineering blue eyes. "You did so well at staying off the radar, Nova, what happened? Hm? You put yourself in the spotlight. More than just me are going to be looking for you now."

"So how about we start with who the hell you are?"

He circled her like prey, staring at the trident on the window. "I'd like to thank you for giving Zarya enough signs to lead her to Mystic Falls and straight to you. It only took a little extra poking and prodding but since you're blood related by some very strong blood I was able to cross over and poke around in your noodle too."

She gasped lightly, desperately trying to keep distance between the two of them. "I won't ask you again; who the fuck are you?"

His eyes wafted slowly onto her, a devilish smirk playing at his lips. "I'm the link to the top of your ancestry train, sweetheart. But you've got the stone I need." His blue irises glowed a bright red-orange, the massive shadow of six wings appearing behind him. The breath and life was knocked out of Nova; she stumbled, catching herself on a counter, and sprinted to the door.

Nova ran as fast as her legs would take her, her vampire speed refusing to kick in. Fear crept down her spine, sweat beading on the back of her neck. The hall she ran down seemed to never end, but started to slowly change. It got brighter, dried blood splattered all over the walls and lights still flickering. Bodies of strange human-like creatures littered the floor. She clamped her eyes shut and kept running until she burst through double doors into a ballroom. Her feet skid to a stop when she found wing marks scorched onto the wood floor stained with blood. She started to panic, frost creeping onto the windows of that room. "Damon!" She called, doubling back to the doors. Before she grabbed them they slammed shut.

"Your precious Damon isn't here to save you this time, Nova." She whipped around with her back against the doors, staring up at the blue eyed man. "Where do you think you got the cold and ice from?" He smirked, making his way closer. "Most people think I burn hot; it's actually quite the opposite."

"No," she sobbed, trapped against the doors. "It can't be true…"

"I'll only ask you nicely one more time before I go dumpster diving in that mess of a mind you've got; _where is Rem's stone?_ "

Nova blinked with confusion. "Everyone keeps telling me it's called The Rem Stone, not someone's possession…"

He laughed down at her. "Oh there's so much you don't know, little Vasile. You know nothing compared to the truth of that stone and it will consume you long before you can figure out even a fraction of it."

She clamped her eyes shut tightly, muttering to herself in her native tongue. She focused on her thoughts and memories of Damon, desperately trying to block out the blue eyed man before her. She felt him touch her forehead, nails dug deep into the wood of the door. She refused to let him into her head anymore than he already witnessed. She fought back against him until she jolted up on the beach of Nova Scotia panting. She looked around her, finding no one. There were signs of a struggle in the sand, Damon's jacket partially torn a couple of feet away from her. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, a voicemail from Tyler Lockwood coming through.


	36. They Haven't Seen Anything Yet

**A/N:** Not sure where anyone who reads this is from, but it's 11pm my time and I apologize for the late update! Normally would try for earlier but hey it's still Thursday LOL

From now on every Tuesday I will be posting this story's companion, _Rise II: Devil in Me_ and every Thursday I'll update _Monster_. Within a few weeks both stories will be on track with one another. _Devil in Me_ is a Supernatural based companion. Kind of like how the CW does their crossovers, that's what I'm trying for TVD & SPN.

For more updates like my Facebook page!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

04x14: Down the Rabbit Hole

* * *

36: They Haven't Seen Anything Yet.

"Who knew Death would take so long to reap my ass, huh?" Lethia grinned with blood on her lips and teeth, her voice weak.

"Stop it, Let," Klaus rolled his eyes, still petting her hair as her head laid in his lap on the couch.

"Oh let a dying woman have her fun. Afterall," she grinned again, "I am coming back for round two."

"Provided Auriel can accomplish some genuinely awful magic. And that's coming from me, luv. Well, if it isn't little orphan Lockwood. Come to show how laughably impotent you are against me?" Lethia tried to sit up and see but Klaus pushed her gently back down.

Tyler's footfalls came around the couch. He did his best not to look at the bleeding blonde as he unraveled a sword from a blanket. "Found this in your attic."

"And you think finding the sword brings you closer to the cure?"

"You tell me. I was playing around with the handle on the ride over, and I found this." He started fiddling with the leather on the top of the sword, revealing some sort of turning device.

Klaus chuckled a little. "So what do you think 'this' is?"

"It's called a cryptex," came Caroline around the couch. Tyler and Lethia looked at her strangely. "What? I've seen The da Vinci Code. You turn the different sides to the different symbols to get the translation on the other side. And with the magic of the internet, Elena sent over these." She held up photos of Jeremy's hunter's mark. " So now all we have to do is cryptex away."

"Right. Well, might I suggest using the magic of the internet to purchase an Aramaic-to-English dictionary from your nearest retailer." He smirked.

"What's Aramaic?" the slowly dying wolf coughed up some blood, making Caroline and Tyler wince. "It sounds familiar."

"It's a dead language," Caroline replied softly. "It hasn't been used since, like, biblical times."

"Qetsiyah's native tongue, I'm guessing," Klaus shrugged still smirking. "You know, even if you had the best dictionary in the world, it could take days to translate. Perhaps even weeks. " _In bas so-teen-too ara-ma-eet."_

"What does that mean?" Tyler questioned.

"If only you spoke Aramaic," Lethia breathed, her amber eyes flashing emerald for a split second.

"Daciana may have been fluent," the Original vaguely explained with his focus on the girl in his lap. "Fluent enough in the language of the Vasile family to teach me a thing or two. I wouldn't be surprised if Nova knew a few words."

Tyler stomped off to try and decode what he could. Caroline looked between the two. "If you happened to want to help, we wouldn't stop you."

"He has no need," came Riel down the stairs. "No need for the cure or for Silas to breathe. The cure was necessary to revert Elena and be able to use her doppelganger blood to make hybrids - or just one singular hybrid." She gestured to Lethia, dying on the couch. "There wouldn't be enough time to spare Lethia's life by waiting on the cure. I'm going to do a spell and put her in transition myself."

"That's insane!" the blonde vampire shouted. "Is that even possible?!"

"I'm going to find out," the brunette smiled sadly. "If hybrids need Petrova doppelganger blood to complete transition then I'm going to use Vasile blood for my spell. They're pretty much doppelgangers, right?"

"Like switching between 1% and 2% milk," Lethia laughed, spitting up more blood.

"Won't that create the opening to sire more hybrids with Vasile blood…?" Caroline started to sweat.

"Oh no, just this one singular." She gestured to Lethia. "She's a Kross wolf bound by a Moore's spell to a Vasile vampire. To put her into transition and wake her up I'm going to need Vasile blood and it's only good for her thanks to the spell that links her to Nova and the properties of the Vasile blood that link each one of them."

"Okay," Tyler stood in the kitchen doorway, "but how do you plan to do that if Nova isn't even in this country?"

"Well it certainly does explain why _I_ have been summoned to this house."

Only Lethia recognized that it was fear first to appear in Klaus' eyes when he heard Daciana's voice. He became rigid and cold, putting on a facade to keep Daciana from seeing it. "You need to be invited in to this home, sister," he reminded her without looking behind himself. "A human owns the deed and you are still a vampire."

The ravenette cocked her head to the side, hair falling in waves down her side. She donned tight, dark grey jeans, black heels, and a black blouse. She stared at the back of her brother's head with fire in her emerald eyes. Slowly her tantalizing eyes wafted over to Tyler. "You made a fatal error in calling Nova," she purred, deathly calm. "Now she will know her purpose for finding the cure is unnecessary. She will no longer seek out Elena becoming human, ever again. Elena will forever be Nova Vasile's progeny and that is not something you twerps have grasped the reality and truth of." When everyone remained silent, her dark maroon lips curved towards a sinister smirk. "I wonder, have you heard of one 'Abby Bennett's' untimely meet with the true death? I understand she was from here, and your little witch's birth giver before turning tail and running."

"Shut your fuckin' pie hole!" Lethia tried to shout at her. She ended up coming off extra raspy and spit up more blood.

"Abby isn't dead," Caroline muttered with her hand over her mouth.

"I will not lie to you," Daciana's smirk darkened. Lethia saw the fear crack through Klaus; something about those six words giving him anxiety. "Abby Bennett could not handle being a Vasile progeny. The Power drove her mad. So mad that she took off her daylight ring and burned to ash. It's a curse on our blood, unfortunately. Each person we turn must face trials and must face them _with_ their maker. To do it on your own is just suicide."

"Daciana that's quite enough," Klaus spoke up, still not turning to face her.

"I'm surprised Nova stuck around when Elena turned," she ignored him. "She's been looking for a reason to get out of town with Damon and get rid of that damn Petrova line. Such a plot twist that she stuck around and helped Elena adjust when no one even knew a damn thing. Elena Gilbert is going to make one hell of a vampire." She snickered.

After hearing everything, Klaus kissed Lethia's forehead and gently slid out from beneath her. He walked up to the front door with his head held high, deeply burying the fear creeping up his spine as he stared into her malefic eyes. He stood taller than her, but not by much with her heels on. She stared up at him mockingly, knowing he wouldn't (and couldn't) do anything to her. "What does that mean for Lethia, being turned into a hybrid with Vasile blood?" He demanded through grit teeth.

Daciana got as close to the barrier as she could, grinning up at him. "I suppose we'll find out real quick, brother."

* * *

" _Nova, I don't know if you'll get this in the bumfuck you must be in, but if anyone will it'll be you."_

She stood slowly as Tyler's voice played into her ear. The sun was starting to rise, a gentle wind jostling her hair around.

" _Something happened...something really bad. It's Lethia; she...she was hurt."_

She could hear his voice cracking in the recording as she picked up Damon's jacket in the sand, taking in the scent close to her face.

" _She'd been looking for Riel all day - you know, the creepy chick who can change her hair on command that works for Klaus? Probably to try and break him out of Elena's house."_

There was an extra scent on the jacket she didn't recognize. She could identify Damon's and her own with ease, even Lethia's, Elena's, Stefan's, Bonnie's, and Jeremy's. But there was one that just did not belong.

" _When Lethia came back again, I asked her why she was looking for Riel when someone else came to the house looking for her too."_

A man's scent definitely. The cologne gave it away. And it was recent, stronger than the rest of the scents she could pick up. She dropped the jacket and darted off after the scent.

" _The man...he wore a black suit,"_ Tyler's voice cracked again and started to shake. " _And his fucking eyes turned black! Like, the whole thing. And he had a silver blade, but it wasn't made of silver…"_

Nova stopped in her tracks in the middle of the woods. Her lips parted, eyes widened with each word. A man in a black suit with black eyes.

" _Oh God, Nova...Lethia thought it was only silver. She-she went straight for him after he tossed me aside like scraps. He was going for her and Klaus next."_

She started getting flashes that made her dizzy. She caught a tree for support, leaning against it. She could see dozens of people in black suits, men and women alike, charging towards her (or whoever's eyes she was seeing from) in a clearing.

" _She tried so hard...but that bastard...he got her. Rammed the-the 'angel blade' I think he called it right into her. I swear I almost saw Klaus fucking Mikaelson fall to his knees."_

The flashes looked down to her/a hand. It was gripping a silver blade so tight that the knuckles were white. There was an inscription beneath the small hilt. A symbol.

" _That's when the guy told her…"_ He took a breath and sniffled, his voice quavering. " _He told her he knew who she was and that the blades are made of titanium. He stabbed Lethia with titanium."_

Nova nearly fell to her knees. The last vision she saw was the blade slashing across the people in suits, their eyes turning black before they glowed bright and dropped to the ground, completely dead. She took a deep and choking breath as tears started to streak her face. She heard every word through the flashes.

" _He stabbed Lethia with titanium."_

She used the tree for support as she checked the rest of her notifications quickly. Tyler had also texted her, informing her that Riel was going to try and save her because Klaus' blood wasn't healing her. Riel would perform a spell. Lethia already drank Klaus' blood. Their entire, good natured, purpose for finding the cure had been shattered. And the worst part was that Nova couldn't even be there for Lethia. She bit her lower lip and shakily dialed Elena, her phone forcing the call to reach her progeny.

"Nova!" the brunette exclaimed with relief. "Where are you? We just got to the coast and found Damon missing. I think someone took him."

"Someone did," she choked back through grit teeth. She forced herself to take another breath. "I woke up on the scene. I'm in the woods looking for him."

"What's the matter? You don't sound okay, and something doesn't feel right."

"It's Thea," the ravenette sobbed. "Tyler left me a voicemail. She'd been stabbed with titanium but I need you to not react right now, okay?"

"How am I supposed to not react?" Elena whisper yelled back. She walked a few feet away from prying ears. "Tell me what's going on, Nova. Please."

"You don't need to take the cure anymore. All that will do is ruin all of our progress and give Klaus an army."

Elena continued walking off when Stefan kept eyeing her down. Rebekah had been desperately searching for service and quite irritated when Elena's phone rang. "So what do we do now?" She heard Nova take in another shaky breath and hold it before letting it out.

Her emerald eyes were exhausted and wrathful as they stared up to the rising son. "We're still going to get the cure because I don't trust anyone else with it. Chances are that Stefan will try to cure us all with it. No thank you. I need to find Damon." She shook her head.

"Who could have taken him? It would mean someone else is on the island with us."

She thought for a moment when it struck her. "One of the hunters! When Jeremy's mark was completed it must have activated or whatever on the other four. It is the Brotherhood of the _Five_ , meaning four others aside from Jeremy."

"Sounds reasonable, but you can't kill him then. Which means he'll keep hunting us."

Nova smirked, fire burning in her eyes. "And that tells me I'm going to have to work with some finesse. Keep going on like nothing changed, can you do that?"

"Like I'm still taking the cure when we find it and go back to the sweet human everyone else prefers me as?"

"Precisely, _tovarăş_. I'll find Damon, you find the cure." She ended the call and pulled her sai blades out of her boots.

Elena used an app on her phone to quickly translate what Nova had called her, smiling softly when it loosely translated to 'companion'. It was better than _pizdă_.

* * *

"Okay," came Caroline's voice, "this is it. We've translated all the symbols on the tattoo. ' _Passage inside...requires a young senator, and a pretty flower.'_ Okay, none of this makes sense!" Klaus chuckled and spoke in Aramaic, further confusing her.

" _Reikalinga galinga ragana ir pilnas žydėjimas,_ " came Daciana from the porch. She leaned over the side rail, looking out at the peaceful and unsuspecting human neighborhood.

"Yeah cause that helped at all," the blonde quipped back. "What the hell language even was that?"

"Lithuanian," the elder Mikaelson replied, watching his sister out the doorway carefully. "Requires a powerful witch and a hunter in full bloom."

"What are you doing?" Tyler questioned skeptically.

Lethia saw Klaus just over the couch, watching Daciana intently. He didn't trust her. "I don't need to tell you my reasons. Caroline." She jumped and he waved her over. "Bring my sword over here."

Daciana turned, leaning her back against the railing and eyeing her brother hauntingly. " _Silas rests on the far side, the means of his destruction at hand._ " She read when Caroline was close enough.

"How the hell did you read that?" the blonde groaned. "You're literally not even in the house!"

"I suppose I've got devilish eyesight," the ravenette snickered.

Klaus was far from amused. He cut an icy glare back at her. "Turn the cryptex to the right," he snarled at Caroline with his gaze fixed on his sister. The blonde vampire turned slowly until both siblings ended up telling her to stop. "The top of the hilt reveals a key to a nautical map. Turn it to the left."

"Now turn the other piece," Daciana added, sidled right up to the door barrier nosily.

The elder brother made a face. "There's something else."

"What does it mean?" Tyler demanded.

" _Yra tik viena dozė_ ," Daciana grinned, the Lithuanian dripping like venom off of her tongue. She started to chuckle and run a finger along the barrier. "You fools are severely unprepared for the war about to begin. That cure will be needed upon waking Silas to kill him."

"So we use it on Silas, then we'll use it for whoever wants to use it," Caroline argued.

Lethia's face paled slowly as she understood slowly what Daciana meant. She'd picked up a few things of Lithuanian in her time and understood the words 'one dose'. It didn't take a genius to deduce the rest. "Caroline, no-" she tried to intervene, but found herself too wounded by then.

Daciana started to laugh, a sound that made each of them cringe even a flinch away with fright. "Oh how you've all severely misunderstood. There won't be any sharing, Barbie."

"I'm sure you want nothing more than to get it for Rebekah, but we want Elena to be happy and normal again. We can make it so everyone gets what they want."

"No, you can't," Klaus' voice nearly cracked. He looked to his sister with pain in his blue eyes. "Even if we wanted to we couldn't, Caroline. There is only one dose of the cure."

"And with it goes your hopes of curing me, brother," the ravenette spoke in a honeyed tone. "I know that's the only reason you woke me, knowing the cure for vampirism was at your blood stained fingertips. Hate to tell you, it probably wouldn't have done much to benefit you."

* * *

As soon as she saw Rebekah get a call through Elena had ears on the conversation. "Hello?" The blonde answered eagerly.

" _Hey, it's Caroline. We have the translation of the tattoo. We're emailing you pictures of the map and instructions right now."_

She looked down at her phone. "Got it, thanks."

" _Actually, it was me."_

Elena saw her freeze up when she heard Klaus. "Nik. You helped?"

" _You sound so surprised, little sister. Even Daciana is here as Riel needs her blood for Lethia."_

" _Always happy to bleed for the Vasiles and their comrades."_

Something changed in Rebekah's eyes when she heard Daciana. "Shouldn't I be? I mean, you don't want me to be human. You don't want any of us to be human. Why would you help us find the cure?" Elena waited painfully for Klaus' response.

" _Perhaps I want my sister to finally know true, unblinded happiness."_ Elena expected to see Rebekah dripping with joy, instead finding her in a much darker place. Rebekah was frozen, something breaking in her eyes. " _There is one more thing, Rebekah."_ His voice became much quicker for fear he wouldn't say it in time. " _There is only one dose of the cure. You need to find it first and take it home. It's the only way we'll-"_

"Nik!" She called, realizing the call cut. "Nik!"

Elena covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. She quickly scrambled for her phone, texting Nova what she just heard. Waiting for a reply she started to wonder what exactly Klaus had meant. Had he wanted the cure for Daciana? If so, why? After a minute, her phone vibrated with a reply.

 _Fuck that. We'll get it first.  
_ _Maybe for a little vindication I'll ram it down Stefan or Katherine's throats.  
_ _I'll find you once I find Damon, I promise.  
_ _Stay on course.  
_ _xx_

Her eyes darkened with each word she read until the irises were entirely black, her countenance blank and cold. She deleted the texts and slipped her phone back into her pocket, her eyes returning to normal.

* * *

Vaughn was shoving Damon along when they came across a body, throat ripped wide open. Damon's eyes widened the longer he stared at the corpse, realizing his eyes were held open by rigor mortis setting in. The hunter immediately looked to Damon. "Was that you?"

He shook his head slowly, eyes unable to look away from the bloodied body. "No, but I know whose handiwork that is and you might want to let me go before she finds us."

Vaughn scoffed and shoved him forward. "Why? Was it your girlfriend? Oh, my bad, it's fiancee now, isn't it?"

Damon mocked his scoff and rolled his eyes. "If you've been stalking us so well like you claim than you should know my Nova and not to piss her off."

"I know that Nova has already had a taste of the Hunter's Curse. She wouldn't be daft enough to try it again."

The ravenette found as he walked that the vervain ropes binding him were slowly burning less and less. He started to fiddle with him out of Vaughn's sight. "Of course she's not. It just means she'd get extra creative." He smirked, eyes flashing black quickly. They made it to the cave, Vaughn dragging him inside, and saw the ropes that Shane already used to take Bonnie and Jeremy down. "Well, here we are. Looks like someone beat us to the punch." Realizing he was no longer in any pain, Damon snapped the ropes and turned on the hunter.

Vaughn whipped out his gun immediately. "That's a shame, Damon. Hate to kill ya. Say, how'd you finally break those ropes?"

He smirked, the hunter not realizing Damon's gaze had fallen behind him. "You don't know the first thing about Nova Vasile soon to be Salvatore."

As if on cue, Nova rushed in at the hunter and grabbed him in a tight chokehold that forced him to drop his gun. Before he lost all consciousness he fired one more trap at Damon, causing Nova to tighten her grip. She was desperately trying to refrain from breaking his neck. Vaughn struggled against her, flailing one hand to his side where he got hold of a stake and rammed it back into Nova's gut before succumbing to the darkness.

She let out a grunt as she tossed him to the floor, her back hitting the cold, cave wall. Damon was tied to a post with a vervain soaked trap. She reached down to remove the stake but it caused her a great deal of pain. Elena and Stefan then ran in, horror and concern all over the brunette's face. "Keep going!" Nova yelled when Elena ran towards her. She spat out a mouthful of blood; Damon writhed beneath the vervain trap as the pain died down slowly. "Go get the cure, Elena. Do it."

"But you and Damon-!"

"Will be just fine," Damon assured her. He knew he could break free in a moment as the pain subsided.

"I already handled Rebekah," Nova added. "Go get the cure."

"Come on, Elena," Stefan urged at the ropes.

"At least let me get the stake out," Elena argued, making her way to Nova.

The ravenette grabbed her by the collar and pulled her down to her level on the ground. "Do you hear my words, Elena? _Go get the cure._ "

"I hear you just fine, Nova, but you're hurt."

She took Elena's hand gently, looking her in the eye. "I'm with Damon now. We will meet you but I need you to go down that rabbit hole, Elena. Please."

Finally her progeny gave up and leaped into the cave's hole with Stefan. Nova let out a sigh of relief and wrapped her hand around the stake. "Oh please don't, Nova," Damon pleaded as he started breaking free of his own trap.

"Like you'll do any different when you get free?" She snickered. "Ah, this is gonna suck." She inhaled a breath, puffing out her cheeks, and ripped the stake forcefully from her abdomen. Her groan of pain rang through almost the entire island. She scrambled to her feet and over to Damon, ignoring the slowly healing hole that still bled.

"I got it," he told her softly before ripping it all away. "The vervain stopped hurting and there's only one dose of the cure."

"I know," she fell into his arms that wrapped protectively around her. "Riel is using some spell to turn Lethia instead because she was…" Her voice broke, sentence cutting off.

Damon pulled back a little, brushing her hair from her face. "What's wrong with, Thea?"

Tears started to form in her emerald eyes as she stared up at him. "She was stabbed with a titanium blade by a man in a black suit with entirely black eyes…"

For a moment they just stared at one another, comprehending what exactly was going on. Damon opened his mouth to speak at last when Nova's eyes flashed gold. It looked like a shock to her as well, as though she had felt it through her eyes. A burning, stabbing pain started to spread across her skull. Her knees buckled and caved, Damon preventing her from hitting the ground.

" _Nova!_ " He called to deaf ears.

* * *

Lethia was barely breathing as she laid on a bed in the spare room of the Gilbert house. She was abnormally pale, almost translucent. Her hair lacked as much life as her eyes, askew across the pillows. Riel hurried around the room, finishing writing sigils all over the windows, doors, and walls with her own blood. On a table beside the bed she had set up an old, wrinkled, black grimoire with strange writing inside and a small bowl of Daciana's blood.

"Will this affect Nova…?" The blonde asked weakly.

As Riel finished the sigils and looked over the spell again (for the millionth time it seemed) she sighed. Lethia could see the pain and uncertainty in the girl's eyes. "It probably will," she admitted quietly. "My magic can feel your link because it was carved with Moore energy and it's flapping open like a screen door in a hurricane."

She chuckled dryly, both literally and figuratively. "Yeah, sounds about right. We really fucked up this time. Think we opened Pandora's Box for good. Are you sure this will even work? And if it does, what it'll do to us?"

"No, I don't know for sure, Lethia. I'm deeply sorry." She bit her bottom lip. "I'm not sure what your being a hybrid will do across the Moore link to Nova, or how your body will handle Vasile blood. But this spell should work." She fingered the old grimoire with a look of pain. "I made sure I had the right book just for this."

"One of Klaus' finds?" She smiled softly.

"Actually, no…"

The two were quiet. Lethia decided not to pursue where Riel got the book, knowing well that they didn't have the time. She looked up at the ceiling with tears dancing in her eyes as her vision started to fade. She took a deep, shaky breath, fearing it might be her last. "What if it doesn't work…?"

The brunette froze from head to toe, eyes wide with fear. She opened her mouth to give some kind of answer but when she looked to Lethia, the wolf had already stopped breathing. Adrenaline shot through Riel and she immediately scurried around to begin the spell. As she began to chant, the sky outside turned dark. Any trace of her changed appearance faded as the magic started to flow. Tears slipped from her eyes as they ignited bright blue.

* * *

"Please don't let Klaus kill Tyler."

Daciana's head turned slowly to look at the blonde vampire bravely before her. She sat on the porch swing of Elena's home, staring out at the quiet area. "You deeply care about him, don't you?"

"I love him," Caroline answered thoughtlessly, on the brink of tears.

The ravenette waved her over calmly, motioning for Caroline to sit beside her on the swing's bench. Hesitantly she did, being sure to leave some space between the two of them. She looked at the Original, seeing something pensive in the young woman's emerald eyes as she stared back to the neighborhood. "My brother is obsessed with his reputation. If he allows Tyler Lockwood to walk free without punishment when he turned Niklaus' hybrids against him would be social suicide. Above all else he would want to. Niklaus is a monster."

"I'm not asking him to forgive Tyler. All I'm asking is that you guys let him live, somewhere far from here."

Daciana's head turned slowly again to face the blonde. "You'd wish a life of constant running from Niklaus - and I should he ask of me to pursue Tyler, running far enough away from you, instead of a quick death?"

"At least I'd know he was alive. I could live with that. I could make my way back to him. Run with him. I don't care. Wouldn't you feel the same about at least your siblings? Klaus kept you all in boxes yet you still care."

Daciana saw something in the girl's eyes that almost warmed her frozen heart. Something she saw in her own descendant's eyes, only much stronger for Nova. But that was likely because Nova knew she could fight for Damon's life, even against the Mikaelsons. Caroline knew her place but loved Tyler so deeply that she'd bargain anything for his life. "You realize that Tyler running will only fuel my brother's fire more, yes? Nik loves the thrill of the hunt; it's where I get it from." She smirked. "After he turned all of Nik's hybrids against him, after he tried to kill him, after Tyler made it his life's mission to find the cure so he could use it against my brother-"

"We all want the cure," Caroline interjected defensively.

"Do we?" She cocked her head to the side. "Do _you?_ "

She looked away to the floor of the porch. "It doesn't matter. There's only one, so it's not like I'm gonna get it anyway."

"But if you could...you wouldn't, would you?" When Caroline remained silent, she continued. "You prefer who you are now to the girl you once were. You like being strong, ageless, fearless. The Mikaelsons took me in when I needed it the most. They protected me from some very lethal people and made me strong enough to protect myself when they couldn't. Being a vampire is empowering, but I'll never deny that I'm a monster no different than Niklaus. Maybe worse. But you and I aren't so different, Caroline."

"Then show me. You know how much I love Tyler. You can see how scared I am to lose him. If you and I are so similar, then show me your compassion. Show him the mercy that I would show you."

She almost laughed. Instead, it came out as a small chuckle. "You've been quite brave to talk to me like this, Caroline. Tell him to leave town immediately. And tell him to run and hide in a place we will never find him. Mercy is not something that comes easy to us, Mikaelson or Vasile."

Caroline wanted to just thank her, but she couldn't help herself. "What exactly do you know about the Vasiles...?"

She realized quickly what a fatal mistake it was. As soon as the words escaped her lips she saw something in Daciana's emerald irises that froze her to her core. She saw fire, tragedy, blood, but also the darkest light she'd ever witnessed. Was that even possible? As she started to shake she witnessed Daciana's irises bleeding to black. Her breath caught in her throat. She tried to get up quickly but the ravenette's hand snapped around her wrist, holding her firmly beside Daciana. Caroline desperately tried to avoid eye contact and found it impossible as she fell into a trance. Slowly, her blue eyes started to bleed black.

"Tyler Lockwood may have a headstart on running for his life provided you find me Clara Vasile. That is the most mercy I can offer you as both Vasile and Mikaelson. _Find me Clara Vasile_."

* * *

"Nova!" Damon called desperately as he held her in his arms. "Nova, can you hear me? Baby, please!"

She gave way to a gasp of air, the veins appearing and vanishing beneath her eyes that blazed bright gold with a thick black ring around the outside. Her fangs had forced themselves out, extending fully over her bottom lip. She was panting, almost hyperventilating, when her eyes caught sight of something. _Someone._ She had long black hair in thick waves down her back, wrapped tightly in beautiful black cloth resembling a kind of dress with a sword on her back, and eyes as dark as her hair. The rest of her features were soft; high but rounded cheekbones, long lashes that touched her brows, flawless skin. She looked like the rest of the Vasile clan with black eyes like Zina.

"I mean you no harm, Nova," she spoke calmly. "I am not one of Silas' hallucinations or any hallucination of the sort. Hallucinations are not real."

"Then who the fuck are you?" Nova demanded through grit teeth. It felt like her body was on fire. Damon looked around frantically, unable to see anybody else.

The woman looked sad, downtrodden. "I never thought it would spiral this horribly…"

Down in the cave, Elena used the dark and tunnels to her advantage to ditch Stefan. She jogged through the caverns when her hypersensitive ears caught someone else nearing her. "Stefan?" She called, skidding to a stop. She looked around quickly and took a step when she smelled it. _Perfume._ And not Nova's. A rock thudded across the ground. "Hello?"

"Elena," the disembodied voice purred back.

Her eyes widened with horror and rage. " _No!"_

"Nova, what are you seeing?" Damon demanded, still looking around hopelessly. "Who is it?"

"Do not allow him access to see me," she told Nova adamantly.

"As if I have a choice," she scoffed.

"You do, actually. You're quite powerful, Nova. Especially involving Damon Salvatore. Unfortunately any woman not born with Vasile blood cannot see my true form otherwise their eyes would burn from their skulls."

"Then why do I get to see you?"

"Because you are in danger, Nova. You've got a target on your back."

She laughed dryly, her head lolling across Damon's arm. "You're gonna have to be more specific with the death threats; a lot of people have their sights set on my head on a platter instead of my shoulders."

"A lot of bad people have been searching for my stone for a long time, child. I couldn't give it to anyone, trust it to anyone. Surely none of my power hungry siblings. They tried to own me, control me, get me to use _my_ stone for their whims. They and worse will seek you out to do the same. You must protect my stone without allowing it to consume you."

Nova's eyes widened, lips parting, with each word. Realization started to flood through her. She was growing weaker because of her link to Lethia as the blonde began to fade. Her heartbeat was as shallow as her breaths. "Are you Rem…?"

She smiled softly and knelt beside Nova. "I suppose you can call me that. It was my most common nickname thanks to my baby brother." She put her hands on each side of Nova's head and a golden light began to glow. Her eyes lit up a gleaming emerald and Nova started to feel better slowly. She understood at last. Rem was an angel. A real angel.

Her face contorted suddenly before she began to panic. Her eyes returned to their normal black, the golden glow from her hands dying slowly. When the light finally ceased, Rem grabbed the sides of her face desperately. "Fight, Nova. Fight like Hell and never stop. If anyone can right my wrongs then it is you."

The angel vanished suddenly, harshly breaking the link to Nova and sending her back into writhing pain. Damon held her tightly, jaw clenched. "Elena!" He shouted painfully into the well. Maybe if all three of them were together…

Someone did finally jump out of the well, and through her blurred vision Nova started to think it was Elena. She realized quickly that it wasn't, rage flooding through her. Damon jumped up first, sitting Nova against a wall, all in vain. As soon as he was within arm's reach Katherine Pierce snapped his neck mercilessly. Nova let out a fowl snarl and forced herself to her feet. She landed a couple of good blows before Katherine shoved her off, sending her staggering into a wall.

Katherine laughed a little. "You're not looking so good, Nova. As much as I'd love to mop the floor with you right now, I'll save it for another day."

"Get bent, Katerina," she hissed back, spitting a mouthful of blood on her nice heels.

"I'm going to ignore that solely because there's still some info on you Vasiles not even I have. Especially this 'Rem' person. I know you're no good at staying down; I'm counting on it this time." She smirked.

Nova was still bleeding from the stake she took the stomach, let alone her link to Lethia. She fed off of her rage and lunged at the brunette again. Katherine grinned in her face and kicked her in the sternum with the shoe dripping with Nova's mouth blood. The ravenette bounced off of the wall, falling beside Damon just as unconscious. Katherine tapped them both with her foot before making off with the cure.


	37. Let Me Light Your Fire

37: Let Me Light Your Fire.

" _Jeremy!"_ Elena's cry rang through the dark tunnels with great pain. " _Oh, no. No. No. Oh, god, no. Oh god…"_

" _Nova?"_ came groggily from Damon's lips as he came to first. He found the other ravenette instantly and pulled her into his arms. " _Dolcezza…?"_ He jostled her around lightly, receiving no response. His breath caught in his throat, thinking of Lethia. " _Nova!"_ He screamed, forcing the tears back in his eyes.

" _This town would have seen you dead,"_ Klaus whispered softly to Lethia's lifeless form as he pet her hair, " _but I will have it your home alongside your best comrade."_

As Elena gathered her only and baby brother into her arms she saw the Gilbert ring shimmer on his finger. A small flicker of hope crossed her. " _It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. You're gonna be okay. The ring will bring you back…"_

Nova wasn't breathing. Damon's grip around her had turned vice-like, clinging to whatever life may be left or attempting to return. He hunched over her, sobbing into her cold chest. He threw his head back suddenly and screamed to the sky, " _Bring her back!"_ with tears streaking his face. His icy eyes had broken, the very fiber of his being crumbling. " _Please! I don't care who's listening, I know you can't let Nova Vasile die! Not like this!"_

" _It's okay. It's okay. You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay, Jeremy. You're gonna be fine…"_

" _And every soul who wishes you harm will be struck down, just as sure as my blood now runs through your veins."_

Damon rocked with Nova in his arms. " _You are not dead…"_ He sobbed. " _You two are not dead…"_

" _You must return to us, Lethia."_ Klaus bit his bottom lip, tears burning in his eyes. " _Please…"_

* * *

"How the hell did this happen?" Damon sneered when he finally saw his brother.

Stefan couldn't look his older brother in the eye. "It was Katherine. She must have been following us this whole time."

"I could have told you it was Katherine!" He shouted back. "Nova was barely hanging on before Katherine swooped in and finished her off." He gestured down to Nova who still laid on the ground. Stefan refused to look at her, so Damon forced his head to move. "She won't wake up, Stefan. Why won't she wake up?!"

Stefan had issues with Nova for a long time but staring down at her unconscious and not breathing with a bloody, half healed hole in her abdomen made even his heart ache. "I'm sorry, Damon," his voice broke.

He rubbed his face as he paced back and forth. "Lethia was stabbed in the gut with titanium."

The younger brother's olive eyes widened in horror. " _What?_ What the hell happened?"

"Something about some demon, I don't fucking know. Point is she fucking died. Riel had to try a spell to turn her into a hybrid with Klaus' blood in Lethia's system. With Nova already weak, the spell must have zapped through to her. I haven't left Nova's side since I woke up after Katherine snapped my neck and made off with the cure. Where the hell is Bonnie?"

"I have no idea. She went looking for Jeremy last night. She never came back. Damon, Elena is in there waiting for the Gilbert ring to bring Jeremy back to life."

"Okay, fine. Bring them here. I'll wait with her. With any luck Jeremy and Nova wake up relatively soon."

Stefan's eyes broke with pain as he watched his brother. "Damon, listen to me. Jeremy was one of the Five, a hunter. And we don't know the first thing about that Moore link, or what Lethia's turning would do, let alone it being by the whim of some spell and not even the standard way of making Klaus' hybrids…"

Damon stopped dead in his tracks. His face paled with the realization. "He's supernatural. The ring won't work anymore." He looked down at Nova and tears threatened to fall again. "She won't survive this. We need to get them back to Mystic Falls and find Bonnie. Maybe, at least, if Nova can come to she can help Elena before it's too late…"

* * *

Caroline was furiously scrubbing the kitchen floor of the Gilbert home when the front door opened. She jumped to her feet and cleaned herself off to greet them. Stefan walked in carrying Jeremy's body, Damon with Nova's. Elena stepped past them both with a countenance of indifference; she wasn't sure what she was feeling yet. She was numb. Clung to the thought of the Gilbert ring bringing Jeremy back and Nova waking when Lethia did. Because Lethia would. They wouldn't die so easily like that. They couldn't.

"Lethia is in the guest room?" the brunette asked softly. Caroline's voice failed her. She could only nod. "Alright...then we'll put Jeremy on his bed and Nova on mine." Caroline bit her lip to keep from tearing up. Elena looked up to Damon before he reached the stairs. "Would you stay with Nova so I can stay with Jeremy and if they're still not awake in a couple hours then we'll switch?"

Damon couldn't help but look the girl in the eye as she spoke. He could see the hope she clung so desperately to in her chestnut eyes. After a moment he forced himself to nod. "Yeah, sounds like a plan." He didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. He instead clung to his own hope that Nova would awake before Elena could realize. God only knew what Nova would even be like if or when she did wake up.

He placed the raven haired Romanian on Elena's bed delicately, petting her frozen cheek. With no prying eyes nearby he dropped to his knees beside the bed with her cold face in his hands. " _Dolcezza_ please," he begged in a whisper, "you need to wake up. You also need to wake up first and I beg of you not to go feral. Elena needs you more than ever right now. _I_ need you more than ever right now. Please, baby, come back to me…"

Stefan couldn't bear the sight of Elena sitting at Jeremy's bedside. He excused himself downstairs and made a call to Meredith Fell. Right after he hung up he bumped into Caroline. "Can I ask you kind of a random question?"

He arched one of his thick brows. "I suppose, sure."

"If any of your research of the Vasiles, had you come across the name Clara Vasile anywhere?"

Stefan was perplexed by her question but humored her. "I couldn't find much, only that she was born around 1889 and a second born twin like Zina. Her older sister Natalia migrated to America shortly after Clara's accidental drowning. Why?"

The blonde shrugged, something lightly vacant in her baby blue eyes. "I heard the name somewhere and I couldn't figure out why."

* * *

"How long has she been unresponsive?" Meredith asked Damon quietly.

His eyes didn't look away from Nova's body. "At least twelve or so hours," his pained voice replied.

"Would you mind if I took a look at the girls?"

"Can you tell me why or if they'll wake up?"

"I can try."

After a moment Damon got up and stood at the end of the bed. He watched Meredith search for a sign of a heartbeat or breathing before checking on the wound in her stomach. She dashed off to the adjacent room to do the same procedure to Lethia before returning to Elena's bedroom. "It's incredible," she breathed. "They're stigmatic."

"How about grieving fiance English?"

"They're both the same - their wounds are in the exact same spots, harming the exact same organs in the exact same ways. But, the wounds are also healing at the same rates even now as we speak."

"How can they still be healing if they're both dead?"

"Well, today the legal definition of 'dead' is braindead. A person can be on machines keeping them alive as long as they still have brain activity."

"Then why would Klaus just leave Lethia here if she was already healing? Why wouldn't he take her and run?"

"Because the spell required Vasile vampire blood," Caroline admitted timidly in the doorway. "Riel had to use Daciana's. It's Vasile and linked to Klaus."

Meredith took a breath. "Then it might require Vasile blood to wake her up. Perhaps even so specific as to be the very Vasile blood she's actually bound to."

* * *

A groan escaped Nova's dry lips as her eyes pried themselves open. When they focused, she found herself staring up at the sky through the trees. She was on the forest floor in Mystic Falls, but everything was greyer. She forced herself to her feet and checked her abdomen; she was perfectly fine. Her ears picked up feet running at full speed towards her. Human speed, but full speed. Out of instinct she reached to her boots for her sai blades but found herself completely unarmed. Gritting her teeth she balled her fists and prepared for a hand to hand battle.

Her eyes widened when she saw Jeremy's mess of dark hair coming at her. She instantly stood down, surprised when the little Gilbert threw his arms around her. Feeling his panic, she opted to return the gesture and hugged him back tightly. Something wasn't right. She decided to take the chance before she never got the opportunity again. When they finally let go of one another he grabbed her arm and quickly rushed her into town without a word. Nova took in the surroundings as they ran, finding everything greyed and a lack of people. Something really wasn't right. She wasn't really in Mystic Falls, was she?

Jeremy pulled her into the Grill and locked the doors up tight before turning to her. He smiled when she started going off with a thousand questions. "What the hell is going on?" Nova shouted first, running her hands through her thick hair. "Where are we? Where is everyone else? Like, _everyone_?"

He took a breath, knowing he had to tread carefully with Nova. She was too crucial and they didn't have a lot of time. "We're on the Other Side, Nova." He watched as she started to break through her emerald eyes. Damon had been right - you could see the whole world in Nova's eyes if you knew how and where to look. She was still a young woman, and one who felt very deeply.

"Oh my Gods…" She breathed. "Does that mean that I...am I...are we...are we _dead_ …?" Her voice cracked a little. A hand flew to her mouth and she took a few steps back, shaking her head. "Thea...where's Thea?" When Jeremy didn't answer her breath caught in her throat. She nearly choked. " _Where is Lethia?!_ " She screamed what she thought was English, but ended up coming out Romanian.

He ran up and grabbed her by the upper arms, holding her still and making her look at him. He never realized (neither had she) that they were basically the same height. "Nova, please, I need you to focus, okay? Zina is also over here. I've already ran into her. She knows you're here."

"So how the fuck do we get back?" She was holding back a sob, every ounce of calm and cool she had right out the window. "Everyone must be losing their shit right now. Lethia was stabbed with titanium. We need to find her and get home, Jer!"

"I know, I know. Just listen to me, Nov." He took another deep breath. He didn't want to look her in the eyes and tell her but even through the greyness of the Other Side did her emerald shine through with great pain. "It's just you going back." He watched as more broke in her eyes.

"And you?" Her lips quivered.

He licked his dry lips, unable to look away from the agony in her eyes. "I was a hunter, Nov. The Brotherhood of the Five is supernatural. The Gilbert ring only works on humans…"

Nova hadn't been bombarded by such emotions since she was human. She felt weak, helpless, broken. She'd made her ties to people other than Damon and Lethia and it was crushing her almost as badly. "Elena…" She breathed, knowing her progeny would take a worse hit. Jeremy was her baby brother whether by blood or not. Nova at least stood a chance of being reunited with Lethia.

Jeremy gave a small squeeze on her arms, forcing a sad smile. "I know you promised Ric to take care of us, but you're gonna need to focus on Elena, alright? You didn't break your promise to Ric because I died. We didn't plan for Katherine, that's not on you. But Elena might not be able to survive this without you."

She reached up and grabbed his arms comfortingly too, desperately biting back tears. She nodded quickly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Anything you can. I don't care. Elena has felt too much grief in too short a time. I was the only blood she had left from her human life so it's up to you to show her that her vampire blood family is there too. Even...even if it means shutting it off like you have." Her eyes widened, the tears threatening to fall when she did so. "Just stay with her. Please?"

Nova nodded and pulled the young Gilbert into her arms. She rested her chin on his shoulder as her eyes grew blurry with hot tears. "You have my word, Jer."

He smiled softly and gave her a squeeze. "Good. Because that's not even the half of it…"

She pulled away quickly, staring at him with wide eyes. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

As if on cue the back doors flung open. Nova spun around and had to grab a chair for support. Two dark haired women were hauling Lethia in carefully, laying her across the bar. Nova nearly choked on the air when she saw Alina Vasile as one of the women. " _M-mamă_ …?" Her eyes darted to the dark haired woman beside her; likely a Vasile, but with a softer face. She reminded Nova of Zarya Deighton. She spun and stepped back so she could see all of them and no one was behind her. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Auriel Cressida used Daciana and Klaus' blood in a nature based Moore spell to turn Lethia," Alina replied slowly. She took a cautious step towards her daughter. She was no longer in her old black gown, but black slacks and a grey blouse. "It gave her body a nasty shock after being hurt with titanium."

The latter woman who reminded Nova of Zarya stepped forward with a gentle smile. "She'll be okay, I assure you. Your blood is what needs to wake her up since the Vasile line is so special, especially as vampires. The Originals' sire link doesn't even affect us. You need to die in order to go into transition anyways. We were expecting you both."

Nova was reeling. She was desperately trying to calm her breathing before she started to hyperventilate. "Wh-what the fuck are you talking about? Who even are you? Why do you look like Zarya Deighton?"

"This is Siya," Alina explained. "Siya Clarke-Vasile. She's Zarya's birth mother." Nova's knees started to buckle and Jeremy ran up behind her to keep her from falling. "Felix, your father, was a conman, Nova. He was a prince of a neighboring country that wanted my hand in marriage. I was young and being yelled at to marry for politics. I refused and spat on his feet. I wanted to rule my country, _my_ clan myself."

"So what the fuck went wrong?"

Alina looked her daughter in her eyes. Her beautiful emerald eyes she had always been jealous about. "Felix had me compelled." Her daughter's eyes widened in horror. "That was why he was always experimenting; that's what the Mihais did. They were sick. And their line continued to this day. I fought so hard against Felix," her dark eyes started to tear up at the memories. "He just kept having me compelled. I started to play along before he tried a lobotomy. The compulsion wouldn't work when I was pregnant. I knew then that I beared the curse of the twins. I never wanted any of this. I never wanted to have children because I didn't want to damn and condemn them. Felix sent Zina away somewhere he could retrieve her when she was old enough to poke at too. He hadn't counted on Katerina Petrova. The day you came back to kill us I was so thankful, _îngeraș_." She smiled with pride and tears in her eyes.

Siya put a warm hand on her back and looked to Nova. "Those who know about the Vasile line and history will always be hunted as a priority. To be what we are and have the knowledge of it is far too dangerous for a lot of bad people out there. My Zarya is getting nosy and she's getting close. I found out about our lineage and tried to keep it from my husband but those hunting the Vasile blood found us first. He had already outran his family and mine ended up killing us. I don't care to thank Lucifer, but he saved my baby girl that night. She's still here because of him."

Jeremy turned her to look at him. He saw the astonishment and alarm in her eyes. "There's more Vasiles, Nov. Alive and walking the Earth, not just over here. The Vasiles are the guardians of Rem's Stone. You need to find them before they're all over here but you've got to make it home with Lethia first. You've got to fight, Nova."

Large stones and bricks came flying at the windows, shattering them piece by piece very carefully. "I know you're in there, _soră mai mare_!" Zina shouted. "Come out and play!" She laughed boisterously, a sound that would make someone cringe.

Jeremy saw the look in her eyes change in a split second as soon as she heard Zina's voice. Veins appeared beneath Nova's darkening eyes, her fangs extending over her lip. She moved towards the door but Jeremy grabbed her arm again, stopping her and causing her face to return to normal. "You need to get back home to your body and take Lethia with you."

Alina walked up behind her and kissed her temple lightly. "We will handle Zina, _îngeraș_. She is also my flesh and blood and not your battle right now."

Now grit her teeth and took a step away from them. "How am I even supposed to get back to our bodies? We don't have fancy rings that bring us back. We've never truly died. The one time I did, the night Stefan drowned me, I knew I had Damon's blood in my system. I knew if he didn't pull me out in time that all it would be is a cold, wet nap. I don't even know how this happened! I mean...how much else of my life has been a lie? I've been alive long enough. Over a century by Damon's side and because _my blood_ accidentally turns Elena Gilbert in a hit on her life we find out I've been sired to Damon this entire fucking time?! I'm descended from fucking _angels_ , including but not limited to _fucking Lucifer_ , and Gods only knows who is and has been hunting the family for, oh gee, _eons_?! What's the point in finding the handful who might be left? They've clearly done well enough in hiding to still fucking be alive."

"You need to find the remaining women because the women are the foundation of the clan," Alina told her, her tone becoming more motherly and slightly demanding. Nova was pushing her buttons. "Felix wasn't the Vasile. He was a Mihai. I held the backbone of the blood until Felix stole it from beneath me for his sick projects. His family was twisted. Half experimenting on the supernatural to learn enough to wipe them out forever, the other half experimenting on enslaved supernatural to make themselves stronger without becoming beasts themselves. You are my first born daughter, eldest of cursed twins, and a Vasile woman. You have angel blood, you are a vampire by Salvatore blood, and Felix's butchered science put you ahead of the game. You are fully capable of what we need you to do and then some. As your mother and still your technical head of clan, I am giving you this mission."

Nova's eye twitched and she sucked her teeth with irritation. "That was cheap."

"Get married then," she quipped back. "Once you marry Damon I assure you it will make things easier. You're lucky you picked a man with royal blood."

The younger Romanian bit her tongue and approached Lethia. She touched the blonde's face gingerly, whispering something in her ear, before wrapping her arm around Nova's shoulders. "Fine. Two questions; where am I going, and am I looking for anyone in particular?" She scowled. "Stefan and Damon have been searching for months and haven't found dick. Especially Stefan since he's a nosy prick."

"Find Carina," Siya told her. "To the best of my knowledge she was turned by Kol Mikaelson sometime in the early 1900s. She needs to be found before the Mikaelsons find her."

She sweatdropped, her eye twitching slightly. _Fucking of course Kol turned her,_ she thought with a fiery annoyance. _Because the Mikaelsons are permanent thorns in my ass._

"What the hell are we dealing with back home anymore?" She asked with half a sigh. "Angels, Lucifer, demons, titanium blades; this is way out of my paygrade. Vampires, werewolves, witches, even fucking hybrids are whatever. Angels and demons? Wouldn't that mean Heaven and Hell exist…?"

Alina looked to Siya, Jeremy glancing between both women himself. He knew there wasn't a lot of time for Nova to get answers, but he definitely would be later. After looking back at another glass panel shattering, Siya sighed. Zina was just playing games. "There are angels and demons. A lot of them. Quite frankly, angels are dicks and demons are douchebags. Rumor has it the Vasile line began when a poor woman named Runa Vasile was on her deathbed. She was visited by the fifth archangel - a sister, with hair and eyes as dark as the night. Angels and demons alike seek to end our blood."

Nova jumped slightly when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder beside Lethia's cool arm. Jeremy offered her a half smile. "Go to my house. I don't have a doubt that that's where Elena has us all for safety. Please, Nov?"

Her eyes and expression softened. She looked to the unconscious blonde she held firmly at her side before back to Jeremy's dark eyes. Finally, she nodded and hurried off out the back with the blonde. She took one last look behind her, watching as Jeremy broke off a chair leg for a makeshift stake. A last second thought crossed her mind; Rem's Stone grants her the ability to use Necromancy.

 _Don't worry, Jer,_ she thought as she ran in the shadows towards the Gilbert house. _I won't let you stay over here. You're my friend too._

* * *

Nova launched up in Elena's bed gasping for air, emerald eyes bug wide. She looked around quickly, finding color and herself alone. Everyone's voices were downstairs. " _There is absolutely no way that my brother is dead,"_ she heard Elena. Without a second thought she flung herself out of the bed and across the hall with the help of the walls. Her fangs extended without changing her face as she bit into her wrist, eyes focused on Lethia on the guest bed.

" _It's called an Expression triangle. I need to complete it for Silas."_ Bonnie's voice echoed lightly in her ears.

 _Not happening, Bonnie,_ she thought as she held her bleeding wrist in her blonde best friend's mouth.

" _She's out of her mind, Stefan,"_ came Damon. " _The nutty professor's got her totally brainwashed."_

" _Bonnie, you can't kill twelve people!"_ Matt argued.

" _Damon and Nova did in an attempt to break the Moore link. I know it sounds crazy, but it's the only way to get enough power."_

Nova pulled her wrist back and wiped a stray drop of blood from the corner of her mouth before kissing her cheeks lightly. " _Jocul este pornit, sora. A trezi._ "

As everyone finally noticed the gentle footfalls upstairs, they started to scurry wondering who was awake. Nova turned and started to stride down the stairs, her emerald eyes blank and cold. Stefan and Damon made it to the base of the stairs when they saw her. Damon looked relieved as all hell, but Stefan? Stefan could see the malicious yet protective look in the girl's eyes. Something about her damn eyes was always setting him on edge. The house phone rang as Nova stood on one of the last couple stairs and gave Damon a kiss. She walked briskly past Stefan just after Elena answered.

" _Elena? It's April...Young. Um, I was looking for Jeremy, his cell phone keeps going straight to voicemail."_

The doe eyed Gilbert locked sight with her emerald eyed sire. Her face was also blank, but she was trying harder not to fall apart. "Jeremy can't come to the phone right now. He's not…" She trailed off, her facade crumbling.

Nova walked over to her with a royal regality to her strut and slid the phone right from her hand. Without breaking eye contact, while the entire house fell silent, she finished for Elena. "I'm sorry," her tone came out cold and emotionless. "He's dead." Her thumb immediately hit the 'end call' button and she put the phone on the counter.

Tears started to form in Elena's eyes as she stared up at her maker. "He's dead," she breathed. "He's dead and...and he's been dead this entire time and I…"

"It's fine," the ravenette cut her off. "It's all going to be fine, Elena. I'm going to take care of everything."

"We can't kill twelve people to drop the veil and get Jeremy back! I mean, unless you guys are willing to bring back every supernatural creature on the Other Side to get him back. Would you?" Her head darted towards Damon. "I know you want your drinking buddy back."

"I was just on the Other Side," Nova informed her, gaining her attention again. In fact, she had everyone's full attention. "I saw Jeremy. Hell, I even saw my mother and found out some stuff about my family. But I also saw Zina. We're not dropping the veil. I'm going to tend to you while I work out the details but I have an idea to bring him back. I already intended to and I don't intend on doing anything that benefits Silas."

Elena was about ready to break and cry. "You saw Jer…?"

She offered the smallest but warmest smile to her progeny. "He asked that I take care of you. By any means necessary."

"Nova, what-" Stefan started.

"We have to take care of his body," Elena cut him off. "Can you bring him downstairs…?"

She nodded and hastily made her way back upstairs, sure to bump shoulders with the younger Salvatore on the way. She stopped in to check on Lethia first; the blonde was still unconscious but Nova could hear the faintest of heartbeats and color returning to her cheeks. She smirked before grabbing Jeremy's sheet wrapped corpse and gingerly walking him down the stairs. Amongst the arguing Elena, who was also viciously searching through drawers and cabinets, told her to put him on the couch.

"Elena?" Caroline asked timidly. "Elena, do you need help finding something?"

"I got it," she answered, standing up with a bottle of lighter fluid.

Stefan noticed the same ice beginning to form in her eyes that Nova bared. "What are you doing?"

"We need a cover story, right?" She started spraying the fluid all over the counters and walls. "You think I didn't hear you guys talking earlier? Well, what are we gonna say- animal attack, "tumbled down the stairs"? No. We burn the house down with him inside of it." She made her way to the living room and started dousing the couch.

"Elena, stop it!" He argued.

"Why? Because you want me to not be in denial? You want me to face the truth? This is the truth, Stefan. I don't want to live here anymore. I don't want these sketches." She angrily sprayed the books. "I don't want this Xbox." More fluid. She grabbed Jeremy's ring off his finger and tossed it to Damon. "He's not gonna need that anymore."

"Elena, stop it, you're scaring me!" Caroline cried.

"What else are we supposed to do with the body, Caroline? I mean, there's no- there's no room in the Gilbert family plot. Jenna and- and John took the last spots."

Nova's head cocked to the side. "Are you certain this is what you want to do, Elena?"

"There's nothing else we can do! Not when so many bad people are already on the other side like Zina and Kol." She lit a match and held it in her hand.

"No, no, Elena, stop," Stefan started to panic.

"There's nothing here for me anymore, Stefan. Every inch of this house is filled with memories of the people that I love that have died- my mom, my dad, Jeremy, and Jenna and Alaric, John, even John! I mean, they're all dead. Everyone is dead. So what am I supposed to- I mean, how am I gonna- I can't even- There's nothing left for me- aah!"

The fire had started to burn too low and scorched her hand. Before she could drop it and light up the entire house, Damon caught it in his hand. He looked to Nova wondering what was possibly going through her mind. Her expression was so cold and unreadable.

"What if I tried Necromancy with Rem's Stone?"

Damon swore his eye twitched. "What if, _hell no_!" He objected. "You weren't even using that hoodoo on the island and Zina almost made you!"

"Necromancy will solve as much as an Expression Triangle right now," came the silky voice of Lethia Kross in the doorway. Everyone jumped, eyes wide as they looked her over. Something in Lethia was just as cold as it was in Nova and slowly creeping its way into Elena. She looked Nova in the eye boldly, her arm crossed over her chest. "You know what is best for the both of you right now."

"You were literally just dead," Caroline started to lose it. "What the hell are you talking about?"

On the other hand, Damon looked between the three blood tied women cautiously. He had a feeling where it was going.

A sly smirk crept its way onto the new hybrid's face. "Use the sire bond," she offered as Elena fell to her knees sobbing.

Stefan and Caroline exchanged more positive looks; the sire bond, yeah that could work, right? Damon looked away to all the lighter fluid drenching the house. Was it the best option? Maybe it could help her control the stone so they could eventually use the Necromancy… The only sound that echoed through the house was Elena sobbing painfully. After a moment of that Damon looked back to Nova, who was already eyeing him for his opinion. She could see the hurt in his icy eyes, but he nodded anyways. Something in her eyes cracked, surprising him. _She didn't actually want to…_

Nova approached Elena, getting down on her level and pulling her into her arms. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before she started to sing.

" _I'm so tired of being here  
_ _Suppressed by all my childish fears  
_ _And if you have to leave  
_ _I wish that you would just leave  
_ _'Cause your presence still lingers here  
_ _And it won't leave me alone  
_ _These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real  
_ _There's just too much that time cannot erase…_ "

The ravenette had started to tear up, feeling her progeny's pain ringing through her own body and aching in her chest.

" _When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears  
_ _When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears  
_ _And I held your hand through all of these years  
_ _But you still have all of me…_ "

Caroline had to look away. Stefan couldn't take his eyes off for fear of whatever Nova might do. Damon had to look to her and nod again for reassurance. She blinked back her own tears and forced Elena to look at her, brushing some of her brunette hair out of her teary face. Elena sniffled, trying to steady her breaths. "It hurts. It hurts. Just make it stop. Please make it stop. It hurts."

"I can, kiddo," Nova whispered unintentionally. "I can if you want me to and you let me. " _Opreste-l_."

Stefan turned to his brother first, knowing he knew enough Romanian that came out of his fiancee's mouth. "What the hell does that mean?" His eyes flicked to Lethia, who also clearly knew the meaning.

Nova's heart was pounding in her chest as she held Elena tightly. Ignoring his brother, Damon approached the girls and knelt down. He could still see the argument going on in Nova's mind. He touched the ravenette's cheek and kissed her forehead tenderly. "It's okay to break our promise this time, _dolcezza._ I'll keep you both safe."

She took a deep breath and nodded before resting her chin on her progeny's head as he stepped back. Both girls closed their eyes and Nova gave her one more squeeze. "Turn it off."

"What?" Stefan exclaimed. "No, no!"

Caroline smacked his chest a few times, directing his attention to Lethia. The blonde had leaned against the doorframe with her eyes shut as well. "Just turn it off," Nova spoke breathlessly, "and everything will go away. That's what you have to do. It's what _I_ want you to do. _Just turn it off._ "

All three young women opened their eyes simultaneously, with equally horrifying looks on their faces. Each of them looked cold and empty, as though the light had died from deep within them. They were hollow, but it didn't take long before the malevolence set in. Nova got to her feet first, gently pulling Elena up after her. Caroline gave way to a frantic sob and bolted out the door. The ravenette reached into her inner jacket pocket and took out a silver zippo lighter, flicking it open and igniting the flame for doing so.

"Elena, don't do this," Stefan argued. "We can find another cover story."

She shook her head, eyes vacant and icy as she slipped the lighter from Nova's hand into her own. "This is the best one. No one'll ask questions."

"Look, if you burn down the house, it'll be gone. What if one day when this is all over, you want to come home again?"

"Build a new house," Lethia sarcastically offered with a smirk. "Nova even modeled hers off of old memories. It's super easy."

Elena looked from Lethia to Nova, who nodded, and back to Stefan. "I won't." She stared him boldly in the eyes as she dropped the lighter.

Nova and Lethia escorted those remaining out of the house as it started to catch fire. The three girls walked out first, something different yet equally disturbing in each of their eyes. Lethia hadn't even had her first feed as a hybrid yet. The blonde and ravenette smirked at one another as they walked away from the burning house. This would be fun.


	38. You Said I Should Eat My Feelings

**A/N:** I know, I'm awful! It's Sunday, not Thursday. If this came as a surprise to you then following my Facebook page will help! LOL

I also did not know this chapter was going to be as fucking massive as it is. Fucking 12,000 plus words. Longest chapter I've ever written. Hot damn. Hope it's at least worth the wait!

Thank you so very much to my recent favorites and follows; I love getting those emails, they make me smile. Reviews would make me even happier! -nudge nudge, wink wink- LOL

I swear this week should be on track! Chapter 4 of _Devil in Me_ on Tuesday, and Chapter 39 of _Monster_ Thursday. Any delays or issues I post to my Facebook page - Kuraki-chan. Thank you all so much for everything.

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

04x16: Bring It On

* * *

38: You Said I Should Eat My Feelings.

Elena walked down a barren road, her face and eyes completely devoid of any emotion. She walked the yellow lines boredly before looking over her shoulder and dropping down. She laid flat on her back on the pavement, arms outstretched at her sides, looking up at the dark sky. After a moment she sighed and closed her eyes, waiting for something.

"We're gonna lose her, Damon," Stefan told his brother back at the boarding house.

"She needs time," Damon assured him. "It's only been a couple of days. Nova's got her under control."

"Did you miss the part where Nova also shut off her humanity? For the second time since she's been back in Mystic Falls?" Stefan argued. "And to top it off, now Lethia is a hybrid tied to the line, but wait for it, also without her fucking humanity. The three of them shut it off together. They're basically numb to everything that makes them who they are."

"I brought Nova back from the edge last time. I've saved her from the brink of death as a human and a vampire. Just let Nova throw her little hissy fit and enjoy some girl time. It's always been just Nova, Lethia, and I and for a long time she couldn't even be near Lethia because of the Moore's spell. They'll be fine, Stefan."

A car skidded to a stop before Elena on the road, the female driver getting out frantically. She ran over to Elena and checked on her, fearful that something had happened when Lethia came running from the woods fake panting. "I'm so sorry, ma'am, me and my friend were at this party and some jackass tried to roofie her."

"Are you girls alright?" The woman asked with deep concern. "I can bring you to the hospital to get checked out quick."

"Her brother just died," Stefan argued still. "Elena is susceptible to whatever horrors Nova and Lethia might show her. They've both killed before, Damon. Nova's spared Elena from that up until now."

"All they're going to do is show her a good time until she's ready to turn it back on. Nova lost Jeremy too you know. You just said it - Nova's spared Elena from killing. Elena doesn't kill. She'll teach her to snatch, eat, erase and party. Your biggest concern should be Nova's involvement with drugs and dealers."

"Then explain all the bodies dropping just outside of town. How can you be so casual about this? They shut it off, Damon. They don't care. Elena will kill and it will kill her inside when she does finally turn it back on."

Damon smirked. "Relax, Steffie. This time I've got an ace up my life just in case."

"What's that, enough drugs to get Nova so high that even she won't be able to feel pain anymore?"

Lethia knelt down and slowly helped Elena sit up. "Oh, please no; no thank you. We weren't even supposed to be at the party - grounded and all." She grinned. "If our families find out they're going to murder us for sure." She laughed darkly.

The woman looked to Elena, not entirely believing the blonde. "Were you hurt, sweetheart? Are you in any pain?"

Elena's head turned slowly and she looked up at the woman. Her expression was still blank and cold. "I don't feel anything."

A soft but frantic knock rapped on the front door of the boarding house and Damon almost grinned. "There's my ace now."

He opened the door and a young woman darted in, slamming the door shut behind her. She was clearly wearing a blonde wig, her dark hair peeking out from beneath her. Black sunglasses concealed her eyes. She locked the door up tight and took a small knife from her jacket pocket, cutting her palm. Damon took a few cautious steps back and held his hand up, silencing his brother before he could speak.

The young woman used her blood to draw strange sigils all over the door, muttering incantations in a language neither of them knew. Stefan looked at his brother with concerned, wide eyes. The darker haired brother just shook his head, waiting for the girl to finish. When she finally did the wound on her palm healed. She removed her wig, light violet tinted raven locks falling in waves around her gracefully. Her shaking hands slipped off the sunglasses, revealing dual colored eyes - one black, one bright emerald.

Elena and Lethia's faces changed slowly. The woman's heart started to pound inside her chest. She turned to run but they grabbed her, sinking their fangs into each side of her neck. As her pulse started to die down, heels clicked down the road. A newfound darkness shined in Nova's emerald eyes as she watched the girls feed mercilessly on the woman.

She smirked, a hand carelessly on her hip. "The first person in days who isn't laced with vervain. Good. I was getting sick of driving hours out of town. However, ladies, we can't just drop bodies like humans litter their garbage."

Elena ripped away from the woman with blood dripping down her chin. She rolled her eyes. "I don't care. Humans don't care about their trash, why should we care about ours?"

Lethia detached next, grinning with blood still dripping off her teeth. "Because we're better than them, duh. Superior species and all that fun stuff." She turned to Nova. "Why don't we start making the bodies just disappear instead of tragic accidents? It was once your specialty, _õde_."

Nova's face started to change slowly, the veins creeping up beneath her eyes as they darkened. Their victim was clinging to her last bits of life, pleading for them to stop and let her go. Nova's fangs slid out as she smirked. "It will always be my specialty, Thea. And it'll keep Katerina off our tail."

* * *

"So that's the plan?" Damon questioned as they headed towards his room. "You're gonna take her back to school?"

"Do you think I want to go to school and play chaperone?" Stefan quipped. "You can't go because you're not a student. Besides, you've got to go look for Katherine. I mean, Elena needs this cure now more than ever."

"Not that anyone asked me," came Caroline in a bathrobe at the top of the stairs, "but I think that taking her back to school is a great idea."

The elder brother made a face. "Why are you here?"

"Uh, blame it on your fancy water filters. Your house has the only vervain-free showers in town."

"Oh right," came the silky purr of Nova from Damon's open door. "The mayor put vervain in the water supply." She clicked her tongue as they crowded in the doorway, finding both her and Lethia on Damon's bed, the blonde hanging upside down on the edge. "So many more people to kill," she grinned, baring her fangs.

"Alright, there's two," Damon spoke with suspicion in his tone. "Where's the third little devil?"

"She really shouldn't go back to that filthy school," Nova made a face. "I could easily compel myself a teaching job there but, ew, high school."

"Yeah, let's not have you eat the entire student body of Mystic Falls High."

Caroline did her best to ignore the Romanian ravenette. "My mom said it's about to get worse. She could use a little help."

"Fine, I'll go after the psychotic doppelgänger. Stefan, you wanna go talk to the Sheriff?" The younger brother nodded. "Blondie, take her to school."

Lethia grinned and leaped off the bed. "Brilliant! I never got to go to school - that was always for the boys. Then they wanted to sacrifice me? Get over yourselves, at least teach me how to read first, damn."

The three immediately and collectively started to argue why that was a hell of a wrong and bad idea. Nova smirked and slithered off the bed beside her blonde comrade, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Well, _iubițel_ , you weren't exactly specific. There are two blondes in this room."

"I could totally pass for high school, B-T-dubs," Lethia continued. "I've always had a bit of a baby face, I'm adorable. I could be anything, really. Teacher's aide, substitute nurse for the day, even a transfer student from another country so I could finally have the opportunity to learn at a public school." She snickered.

"Hell no," Stefan immediately argued.

"It would be ideal, _iubițel_ ," Nova smirked, siding up to her fiance with a hand on his chest. "You remember how difficult it was when she first turned. She needed me, my bloodline. Lethia is part of that bloodline now and she has years of experience."

"About a century or so now," the hybrid smirked. "What's on your resume, _Blondie_?" She crossed her arms arrogantly as she eyed Caroline, taunting her with her amber eyes.

Damon looked around the room, between the two blondes, and back down to his emerald eyed beauty. He thought he'd see a dark nothingness in her eyes, but he found himself captured when he found a light glimmering deep within the green. She wasn't empty and void of _everything_. She wasn't just winging it. Nova had a plan, something up her sleeve. Gently, he brushed his hand across her cheek.

"Damon, you're not actually believing any of this crap, are you?" came Stefan. When his brother didn't even acknowledge him he gaped at the Romanian in his arms. She was becoming stronger and more destructive. As the Vasile line unfolded so would anything the clan had buried within her. All the secrets and powers with angel blood. _Maybe that was why the Vasiles were being hunting through the ages…_ "Damon!" he shouted.

The blue eyed brother sighed at last before grabbing Nova's chin. "Fine, but that means you're under my watch for the day. You don't leave me sight." He turned to Caroline and Stefan who were in shock. "And they don't leave you two's sight. Got it?"

Soft, wet footfalls padded across the hardwood from the bathroom. Elena stood before them all, still dripping from her own shower and stark naked, and smirked. "Sounds like fun. You might enjoy high school, Lettie."

While Damon, Caroline, and even respectfully Stefan tried to avert their eyes, Nova and Lethia grinned at their brunette counterpart. Lethia even went so far as to walk around her to get the full view before wolf whistling. "Damn girl, do you work out? No wonder Nova slept with you - I would too!" she laughed hysterically, knowing it would get under Stefan's skin.

"What?" Elena looked to the three averting their eyes. "A woman's body is nothing none of you haven't seen before." She smirked at Nova.

* * *

"Ah, what an unpleasant surprise," Klaus greeted Damon and Nova at his door. "Here I was assuming my Lethia was practically your shadow."

Nova pushed her way past him, her heels clicking on his floors with Damon in tow. She ignored Klaus and Damon spoke. "So I came up with a list," he started. Klaus looked with cut eyes to the Romanian walking past them in the foyer. He took out a piece of paper and read it mockingly. "It's called "Things You Suck At". Number one: Finding Katherine. Ever. Number two: covering up your secret phone conversations with that little backstabber Hayley." He waved around phone transcripts before putting them down on the table. Nova's eyebrows raised; Klaus was secretly talking to that little Crescent wolf? Did Lethia know about that? "Yeah, so, where is she? What does she know about Katherine?"

"I should help _you?_ " Klaus retorted. "After you lot killed my brother and imprisoned me in the Gilbert living room?"

"You might want to prioritize, Klaus. You have much bigger problems."

"Katerina has the cure," Nova snarled, her tone dripping with her Romanian accent. She glared coldly at Klaus. "I want her bleeding, barely beating heart in my hand."

Damon opened his mouth to speak again but Klaus held his hand up silencing him. The Original hybrid stepped cautiously closer to Nova, looking down barely a few inches into her eyes. He started to laugh suddenly. "Ah, the princess has gone and shut off her humanity again. What a pity. You must be weak."

Something darkened slowly in her malevolent eyes, her lips curving into a smirk. "Perhaps you should think a bit harder about what that means for the rest of my bloodline then."

His expression changed instantly as he thought of Lethia. "Where is she?" He snarled, advancing dangerously on the Romanian. His face started to change, fangs extending. "What have you done to Lethia?!"

Damon barely moved off of one foot, everything seeming to slow down. Klaus' hand shot out to grab Nova's throat, but she grabbed his wrist before he could even get close enough. She twisted and fractured the bones before whipping his entire arm around, nearly fracturing the elbow as well and popping his shoulder out of place. She forced him onto his knees before her, his arm bent horrifically behind him with one of her sharply heeled feet on his spine. Her eyes burned bright with a dark hatred. With a tug on his arm and a little extra shove into his spine with her heel Klaus gave way to a pained shout, furious he couldn't move beneath her.

"You're right to cower before my hand," she spoke in a dark yet bored tone. "I'm more powerful than you can ever imagine. Now, I repeat: Katerina has the cure and I want her heart. My guess is she's going to want to cram it down your throat. You help us find Katherine, and I'll get the cure." Damon looked to her with confusion. The plan was for both of them to get the cure and give it it Elena. "Just let us question the Crescent about Katherine or I'll find her myself and ask her a lot more than about Katherine."

Klaus struggled beneath her grip, unable to get free. His eyes shot up to Damon, almost pleadingly, and found him standing there with wide eyes of his own. He reached around with his free hand in an attempt to grab her ankle but she lifted her foot and slammed it down, pinning his hand against her back. He snarled as her heel dug between his knuckles, breaking the skin and making him bleed.

Damon took a hesitant step forward. "Nova," he started slowly. " _Dolcezza_ , patience is the stepping stone to wisdom. You can't just break people for answers."

Her head snapped up to him, eyes cut coldly even to her love. "You think I don't know that after all that I have been through? Sometimes you need to break a few eggs," she snarled between grit teeth as she pulled Klaus' arm back further, "slaughter some pigs," another tug and shout of pain, "if you want to make a good omelette."

"Fine!" Klaus shouted. "I had a run-in with a vampire who ought to know where Katerina is."

"And where is this vampire?" She kept her eyes on Damon.

The hybrid chuckled a little. "He probably won't have much time to chit-chat since I bit halfway through his bloody neck."

She pulled on him again, digging her heel into his hand. He could feel it puncture his skin and slowly make its way deeper. "Nova, that's enough!" Damon called to her, his own agitation rising. "Nova, I said _stop_!"

Her mahogany lips pulled into a smirk as she drove what was left of her heel through Klaus' hand. She didn't feel a desire to do what Damon said, to please him. He was still hers in any and every way possible, but the tables had turned. She had the power at last. "Very well, we'll find him ourselves. Care to be useful enough to tell me where I can find Carina Vasile then?"

Both men's eyes widened. "Where did you find that name?" Klaus snarled.

"You find a lot when you spend ten minutes on the Other Side."

* * *

"Good, the uniform fits," Elena smirked when Lethia walked out of the locker room. "You look great."

Lethia grinned and modeled the cheerleading uniform, shaking her hips and doing a twirl. She looked to a full length mirror, trying to figure out what to do with her hair. "Are you sure? Belly shirts I've never minded but I've always had issues with skirts. I've been told I have really masculine legs." She pouted.

"Fuck them," the brunette shrugged, slapping her hands away and brushing her golden hair. "You have great legs. Perfect for toe touches and pikes."

"She's got a point," Caroline's voice came behind them as she appeared in the mirror. "You both look fantastic. Legs and all." She offered a smile. "We are totally gonna kick Grove Hills' ass."

Lethia gave a thankful smile back to the latter blonde. As Elena finished one twisted pigtail on Lethia's right side and moved to the left she gave Caroline an emotionless smile. "Yeah, should be fun. Thanks for allowing Lettie as a last minute entry onto the team."

Caroline's lips twitched both for the comment and calling Lethia "Lettie" again. "Well it's no problem since one of our girls mysteriously vanished this morning. I'm gonna go stretch."

" _Oh, my god. You guys, I left my makeup bag on the bus."_

As the hair tie snapped for the final time around Lethia's left pigtail the two girls exchanged sly smirks. They could hear the girl from the other team across the gym. They heard her grab her friend and go running back outside towards their bus. With Lethia's hair finished they walked out the back door after the two girls. One had already darted onto the bus for her makeup bag, leaving her friend outside to wait for her.

Lethia nudged Elena and winked, walking a little ahead and slipping a pack of cigarettes from her cleavage. She lit up a cigarette as she made eye contact with the girl in the blue uniform. She seemed to eye Lethia's cigarette. As she got closer to the girl and Lethia exhaled a cloud of smoke she extended her cigarette to the girl. "Do you smoke?"

She bit her lip. "I really shouldn't, but this competition has my nerves all worked up." She slipped the cigarette from Lethia's hand and puffed it, seeming to relax. "Thanks. I don't remember seeing you at Mystic Falls' competitions before." She passed the cigarette back.

"I'm new this year," the blonde grinned before she puffed, watching Elena slip onto the bus unnoticed. "Just transferred a couple of months ago. I've been training like crazy." Another puff and she passed it back. "I'm so afraid I'm gonna let all these amazing girls down."

On the bus the first girl retrieved her bag and spun around to face Elena. Elena tilted her head to the side curiously as she eyed the girl. "I like your ribbon."

She looked around nervously. "Um, thanks?"

The girl outside with Lethia laughed a little as she took a drag. "Don't worry too much if you guys don't win, it's not just you. Mystic Falls isn't even competition for us anymore."

Elena stared at her blue uniformed competitor coldly. "I want it."

Her eyes widened a little. She laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, but I'm using it, so go get your own."

Lethia's face started to change, darkening with veins appearing beneath her eyes as they shimmered a dark gold. The cigarette fell from the girl's fingers as she started to shake in fear. "Then you don't know Mystic Falls very well."

Both Elena and Lethia simultaneously tore into their competitors' throats. Elena carefully slipped the blue bow out of her victim's hair as to not get any blood on it. When Lethia was done she let the girl roll half under the bus and picked up her still lit cigarette before any blood could touch it and put it out.

* * *

Stefan knocked hesitantly on the dual eyed Vasile's door at the boarding house. A soft 'come in' echoed and he slowly pushed the door opened. "Nessa?" He called calmly. The room was pitch black. In a split second several candles all around the room lit up and illuminated everything. The walls were etched and painted with sigils of all kinds with the dual eyed ravenette sitting on the bed in the middle.

"You'll have to forgive me," she spoke in a small voice. "While I do have a daylight ring, I actually fear the light more. The sigils are strictly for protection and cloaking. What can I help you with Stefan?"

 _How the hell did you light the candles, first of all,_ he thought to himself.

She smiled softly when he didn't answer, instead looking with confusion around at all of the candles that spontaneously lit themselves. "Quirks of the blood when you know and practice. That's for another time. You have something on your mind, yes?"

"Are you a psychic or something…?" Accidentally came out first.

"I was, actually." His eyes widened with surprise. "I could - well, can - read palms and tarot cards. I was very in tune with nature and the spirits. Something my mother loathed because it reminded her of her sister that she had killed for witchcraft."

He took another few steps into Nessa's room, looking around at the various books and trinkets she had around. He did his best to stay on track. "Do you know anything about vampire sire bonds?"

"Are you asking because you believe the bond Damon, Nova, and Elena share will help with their humanity shut off?" He nodded and she laughed a little. "I apologize for my laugh and for your misconception. A sire bond stems from devotion of one saving another's life. Nova's love and devotion for Damon, Elena's deeply welled gratitude towards Nova, it means nothing now."

"But they still care about one another," he argued. "Elena cares about Nova and Nova will always love Damon."

"Yes, that is true, but when they shut it off they became something else entirely. A Vasile cannot give up their humanity without something more being taken with it. When a regular vampire like yourself shuts it off they stop caring entirely and become the darkest version of themselves. When someone with Vasile blood shuts it off they detach themselves from everything they once held as true and dear. Vasile or not shutting off your humanity means shutting off the lights on a sire bond. You don't care about anything anymore. It's just darker and stronger for Vasiles."

"But Nova had shut it off decades ago and still bent over backwards for Damon afterwards."

"She's devoted to him. He makes her a better person. When he's the reason that she shuts it off _and_ turns it back on is what keeps her clung to him still."

"And if Nova and Elena turn it back on now…?"

Nessa's pale lips turned downward, frowning. "I'm sorry Stefan, I cannot say for sure. Nothing is guaranteed with the blood of a Vasile."

* * *

"I thought you were still vacationing on Numbskull Island."

Rebekah came out slowly from behind a semi at a truck stop, looking up at Damon with a shrug. "Well, I was looking for answers, and all I found was your Professor Shane, dead, and with him, anything anyone knows about the cure."

"Guess you won't turn into a real girl after all." He smirked and turned to walk away.

"Oh, I'll get the cure. I just need Katherine, and I'm betting you can help me find her."

He turned and faced her again. "Why would I help you?"

She smirked and held up a vial of blood. "Because I was smart enough to bring a pinch of my brother's blood. How else would you interrogate a vampire who's practically dead from a wolf bite?"

"Pretty easily when you're me," came Nova from the other side of the semi with a smirk. "Turns out my blood works just fine too."

He looked to her with a light, suspicious glare. "Turns out someone is also stealing blood bags from Mystic Falls Hospital according to Stefan. Know anything about that?"

Nova shrugged. "Nope. Why would we hold up a blood bank when we can just go for a high ride and get it fresh and warm from the tap?" She smirked.

Damon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing she was telling the truth. "Then we've got another problem."

Rebekah smirked. "Wonderful. So where'd you hole up a half dead vampire in broad daylight then? Perhaps I can get some answers for you."

"By compelling him?" Nova laughed a little. "I can get answers myself, Barbie. Get bent and go protect Daciana because if she doesn't stand down you're all going to need it. I will not rest or stop until all of the Vasiles acknowledge me as their leader and you Mikaelsons and humanity bow before me. She wants to be a Mikaelson than she can get tossed into the dirt like the rest of you."

* * *

Walking away from the school, Elena's thumbs tapped quickly across her phone and Lethia lit up a cigarette. The doe eyed brunette glanced up when she heard the lighter flick. "I didn't know you actually smoked."

Lethia chuckled a little before exhaling a small cloud of smoke. "Believe it or not I'm the one who got Nova into smoking cigarettes. She'd mostly ignored their production around the 1870s or so but when I came over with them I couldn't help myself. By time I came over menthol cigarettes were already a thing, thank the Gods." She laughed. Her phone chimed in her pocket and she slid out, glancing over at Elena when she saw Nova's name on her screen. "Texting Nov I take it? I was going to call her."

"I'm texting a few people," Elena smirked. Lethia read the message from her raven haired comrade and realized what Elena was doing.

"Nice move," came Stefan, making both girls roll their eyes. "What do you do for an encore?"

"Oh I'm sorry," the blonde quipped first, "were you referring to our marvelous cheerleading stunts?"

"I thought we were fantastic," the burnette added.

Stefan practically sweatdropped. "The two of you tossed Caroline into the air and kicked four of your teammates as you cartwheeled away, letting Caroline hit the floor."

Elena rolled her eyes again, still texting and attempting to walk away with Lethia. "Here comes another condescending lecture."

"No. I was impressed. Getting yourselves on the cheerleading squad. Plenty of vervain-free victims bussed in for the competition. You played us all really well."

"You hear that, Lena? They're giving us credit finally instead of assuming Nova just tells us what to do." Lethia snickered as she puffed down her cigarette.

"Maybe now they'll realize each one of us is a threat on our own." She looked up at Stefan coldly. "We may be a team effort, Stefan, but we each have our own agenda. It's not just going to be some chain reaction. You want me to be okay so badly that you hear whatever I want you to." She shrugged and continued texting.

Lethia could see the wheels turning in Stefan's head. She didn't like the thoughtful, planned out way he looked at them. Especially Elena. "Right. Well, you know, the problem with a gymnasium is, too many witnesses. You gotta go somewhere a little more private for some real fun."

The girls exchanged wary glances before Elena played along with his little scheme. "Oh yeah? Where?"

"Oh, I know this little dive bar off the beaten path." He forced a smile and grabbed one of his motorcycle helmets. "Come on."

While Elena kept her eyes on Stefan her thumb moved unnoticed across her screen, dialing Nova's phone. As she slipped the device in her back pocket she turned the in call volume down so Stefan wouldn't hear the call going through. Lethia watched the whole thing with a hint of pride. The brunette stepped up to Stefan mockingly with a smile. "We've actually got other plans for the night, thanks."

Lethia could see Stefan looking between them like a cornered animal. She also slid her phone into her pocket and stepped up just behind and beside Elena. She caught his hand moving for something. "I'm really not sure if this will work, but you two leave me no other option," he muttered.

Out of both sleeves popped a vervain dart for each of Stefan's hands. Lethia wanted to grab Elena and run before Stefan could touch them, but she was far too close to him. The blonde moved to knock Elena out of the way, getting a dart right to her chest. She could feel the air being taken from her lungs, slowly sinking to the ground with her vision going fuzzy. Just before Elena could run off he got her in the neck with a dart. It took a little extra time and effort, but after a couple of minutes both girls were out cold on the ground. For how long, Stefan wasn't sure. He knew he had to move fast. Very fast.

* * *

Elena woke up groaning, quickly finding herself in Damon's bed back at the boarding house. "What'd you do to me?" She questioned when she heard Stefan cross the threshold.

He leaned against the bedpost. "Brought you home before you can cause any more trouble. I got you and Lethia here just in time before the vervain wore off."

She snarled and snatched her phone off the side table, texting furiously before hopping out of the bed. "So you're grounding me...because I dropped Caroline on her thick head." She reached back and started to untie her top.

"No, because you fed on someone...in public."

"So?" She took off her top and dropped her skirt. "I was hungry. Where's Lethia?"

He raised his brows with amusement. "You're really gonna keep stripping in front of me? That's real mature."

"I'm done cheering," she answered a text and bee-lined for the closet. "So I'm gonna change. And I'm gonna borrow on of Nova's outfits. Where's Lettie?"

"Present," came the blonde's groan. She appeared in the doorway with an aged bottle of whiskey. "You know, I can smell the contempt burning off of you. Stop comparing her to fucking Katherine. She's been running so long, she's afraid of her own damn shadow." Both hers and Elena's phone chimed and both of them started texting furiously. "Wear the red shirt!"

A couple of articles of clothing went flying out of the closet. "Are you sure it'll fit me?"

"I know my best friend's wardrobe," Lethia chuckled. "It'll flow nicely on you. Red baby doll shirt, black leggings, and her riding boots are probably under the bed." More speedy thumbs across devices.

"Alright," Stefan finally interrupted, "who the hell are you two texting?"

"Look at you," Elena told him, shaking her head as she walked out with a handful of clothes still but wearing the outfit Lethia suggested. "Your whole world revolves around me. Maybe you're the one that needs to turn it all off." She tossed the clothes to Lethia.

The blonde grinned when she saw the outfit and brushed past Stefan, setting them on the bed. "I don't know," she mused, pulling her cheerleading top off. Stefan spun on his heel, knowing she was also about to strip without a care in the world. He didn't need anything getting back to Klaus. "I don't think he has the control we have." She slipped out of the skirt and slid the dark grey jeans on. "I think he'd go right back like a junkie - _the Ripper._ " She smirked before sliding on a flowy black shirt with golden glitter.

Stefan grit his teeth, desperately trying to ignore her. He found it growing easier to do as the sound of music got louder steadily. He took a step towards the cracked open door and heard voices starting to flood in downstairs. "What is that?" He looked back at the emotionless girls as the merely smiled at him. He quickly scrambled out the door and watched all the underage students flowing into the boarding house. The music got loud, liquor broken out, and cliques everywhere. He stomped back into the bedroom with disapproving and scolding olive eyes. "So that's what all this texting was about? You invited all these people over here?"

Both girls shrugged nonchalantly but Elena was the first to speak. "You were trying to keep us from joining the party, so...I brought the party here." She smiled and locked arms with Lethia, leading her towards the door.

Stefan panicked suddenly, something clicking in his mind. "Fucking Christ, Nessa," he muttered before rushing past them and down the hallway.

The girls exchanged confused glances before following him to the end of the hall. He started knocking frantically on the door in the dark when it shocked him, sending him a couple of feet back. Elena scoffed. "Who's Nessa? Another doppelganger for you to baby and keep inside of a bubble?"

Something started to singe in the wood, making all three of them back up cautiously. A small, fuchsia flame traced through the wood until a shape started to appear; a bow. Off the bow came not one but two arrows in the shape of a 'V'. The flame sputtered across the sides before dying out, leaving two scorched wings beside the bow and arrows. The trio's eyes all collectively widened, recognizing the crest immediately.

Lethia stood in front of the brunette protectively as they backed slowly towards the stairs. "That's the fucking Vasile crest...what have you done?"

"Me?" Stefan gaped. "Damon found someone that might be able to help - Nessa Vasile."

* * *

"You killed him," Nova commented as she stared out the Camaro's window with the trees passing by. "The vampire that had information on Katherine. My blood was healing him so we could question him and you killed him."

"Your blood was actually rotting him inside out," Damon told her. "It was too strong for a dying vampire. You can't heal Klaus' bites. You're not Superwoman."

"It was a mercy killing," she continued. "You knew him and you were putting him out of his misery before I could talk to him."

"I know a lot of dead people. You wouldn't have gotten a lot of answers from a guy with a rotting hole in his throat."

"I would have gotten some kind of answers. You're just trying to keep me off of Katherine's tail. Why? Because you think I'll kill her and regret it because I have no one to hunt down to the ends of the Earth and take my hatred out on?"

He glanced at her through the corner of his eyes. "Is that what you're afraid of?"

Nova scoffed and looked at him with nothingness in her emerald eyes. "I'm not afraid of anything. Not anymore, not ever again."

Damon sighed and pulled over abruptly, staring straight ahead at the dark road with his hands still on the wheel. "Did you even recognize the guy we found? The guy you would have grilled on his deathbed?"

She crossed her arms and looked back out her window. "Can't say I cared enough to pay attention." She shrugged. "Should I have?"

He rubbed his face and sighed again. "Go in the glove box."

"Wha-"

"Go in the fucking glove box, Nova."

She grit her teeth, choosing to ignore the tone of his voice and the way he spoke to her because it was Damon. _Damon._ The nothingness inside of her screamed to lash back for the way he spoke to her but literally everything else reminded her that it was _Damon_. He let out a silent breath he had been holding, waiting for her react against him, when she calmly reached forward and clicked open the glove box. He saw her hand twitch back when her eyes realized what all of the files and papers inside where. She hesitantly took the stack out, scanning through with her eyebrows creased.

"That's everything Jeremy and Elena had stolen from Stefan and organized," he explained in a quiet voice. "There's evidence of at least nine other Vasile women still alive or in history and probably on the Other Side as we speak."

"My mom," Nova muttered, finding Alina's folder. "Zina, Daciana, Carina, Clara, what the hell is this?"

Damon slipped a folder with the name 'Nessa Vasile' on it and put it on top of her pile. "I found her," he pointed to the pictureless name. "She's at the boarding house this very second. And that vampire you didn't care enough to recognize? It was Will. From Billy's bar. Ring any bells? You didn't exactly have your humanity then either."

He watched her going through each folder, something cracking in her eyes. She was mostly keeping her breaths steady herself, her hands threatening to shake. She looked to Carina's folder, then her sister's. She moved towards a third - the rumor of Zina's long lost daughter, but hesitated. Damon felt the smallest sense of pride, the memories and thoughts of her family clawing away at her humanity slowly. "I know you're looking for Carina because Jeremy and Alina must have asked you to when you were on the Other Side," he continued. "That's why you wanted answers from Klaus. Kol turned Carina and you want to find her before they do."

Nova's hand levitated over Zina's daughter's file, the name 'Katia' having a large question mark beside it. Damon held the hope that she would open the file and realize she might have a niece somewhere in the world to search for. A blood related niece and a Vasile vampire if she really was alive. All hope was crushed, however, when Nova's irises flashed black. They returned to emerald, but another shade darker and frosted over with ice all over again. She flicked her tongue and slammed the files shut, tossing them back in the glove box. "It's all pointless anyways."

He grit his teeth, trying desperately to not look at the woman he loved with such contempt he really wanted to feel. "If it's so pointless then you wouldn't have gotten so heated towards Klaus earlier. Jeremy and Alina's request would mean nothing to you. You wouldn't have snapped at me for thinking I was protecting Katherine."

"It doesn't matter, though," she told him airily, the freezing cold in her eyes starting to chill his bones. "Not when I need to take Mystic Falls before the Mikaelsons slaughter all I've achieved."

"The Mikaelsons need to be put down, I don't disagree, Nova. But we can do it the right way. We can find the Vasiles still alive and walking this Earth."

"One day or another I will find the remnants of my clan; you are either a Vasile or will be put down by a Vasile. What does it matter if I find them before I rid the world of the Mikaelson family?"

"Because the Vasile line is a sire line of its own. You're not connected to the Originals' line so the spell that binds their sire lines don't affect anyone with Vasile blood. That's why you're able to use the Rem Stone."

Something flickered in her eyes again. Damon swore it was the smallest pang of fear. "It's Rem's Stone, a possession," she corrected him icily.

"You're certain?"

She looked out the windshield at the dark road as the memory came back to her. "I'm positive. We'd been entirely wrong this whole time, the real story high above our pay grade. As I died slowly while Lethia turned an angel came to me, the original owner of the stone - Rem herself. Prior to that...Lucifer had gotten inside of my head."

Damon reached over her into the glove box and tore through the files until he came across what he was looking for. "Her name wasn't just Rem, it was Remiel - the Angel of Hope." He kept reading and a breath caught in his throat. "She was an archangel...Lucifer's most favored and trusted sister. His charge."

"Angels…?" She murmured before digging through the papers again herself. She took out the folder detailing her father's journals, his experiments, including the ones on her. She could make out some of his horrific Romanian handwriting, realizing just how deep the angel business was going. " _Sânge de înger_ …"

Her eyes met Damon's and again he could see a flicker of something in the ice. Her phone chimed suddenly, taking her attention away once again. Damon could see a photo from Lethia - the blonde and Elena enjoying themselves at a party. Lethia told Nova in the message to hurry home before they drink all the liquor because she's going to need it. Nova quickly typed back, asking why she would need liquor amongst the reasons she already did. Lethia reminded her of the vervain in the water supply and that they have a very Vasile guest at the boarding house, where the party was being held.

"We need to get home," the Romanian muttered, still staring at her phone and father's notes. He nodded and put the Camaro back in drive, speeding off down the empty road.

* * *

Lethia and Elena danced on top of a table with bottles of whiskey in their hands, their blonde and brunette locks swaying all over the place. The music boomed through the wood of the entire boarding house, filling every crevice with sound. Elena took a large swig from her bottle before turning to her hybrid partner in crime. "You know, I've been wondering something, Lettie."

She grinned and laughed a little. "And what's that?"

"Nova can sing, can you? Like, do you have any cool hidden talents?"

She laughed louder. "I can't sing like Nova can, but I can sing other things."

Elena's brows creased with confusion. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Can you show me? Sing something for the crowd?" She smirked, shaking her ass as she danced.

Lethia laughed again, a little nervously that time. "Ehh, I really don't know...it's been some time, and I don't think there's-"

"Oh come on, Lettie. What care could you possibly have? Anyone that doesn't like it we can just eat. Eventually we'll adjust to the vervain." She shrugged.

The blonde took the final swig of her bottle, tossing it into the crowd, and shrugged. "You know what? You're quite right! I don't have a care in the world. Find me a mic!"

Elena got excited and they jumped off the coffee table to set up one higher in the middle of the crowd. Some of the jocks helped them clear the area and move a table in. Lethia plugged her phone in where the speakers were, telling a girl to press play when they were on the table with a microphone. As soon as their boots hit the table someone tossed a mic up to the blonde and the girl hit play on the song. Elena wasn't sure what exactly to expect, pleasantly surprised when the song 'Undeniable' started to boom through the speakers.

" _So, so  
_ _Undeniable  
_ _So, go  
_ _Go  
_ _Undeniable  
_ _(So) Breath takin'  
_ _(So) Amazin'  
_ _(So) Make sure there's no mistakin'  
_ _(Go) The hatin'  
_ _(Go) Is waitin'  
_ _(Go) So make it undeniable!_ "

She started off a little choppy, the music louder than her vocals, but she gained everyone's drunken attention immediately. The crowd flooded around the high table, amping up Lethia's confidence and ego. She happily started belting out the rap.

" _I'ma lock it though, take the top, explode  
_ _Second Chaynce, 'cause I lock this flow  
_ _Comin' and kickin' the rhythm of givin' it one-hundred percent of your time; I'm the new hotness, bro  
_ _You can try to knock this, go  
_ _But I guarantee that you could never-never stop this flow  
_ _Thinkin' that you're better than the veteran, I got the lettermen, surely just up in the topic, bro  
_ _This is for the folks that roll with it  
_ _I'm finna put it down with the whole city  
_ _You ain't even got a second but you know that you can feel it in your body that I'm ready for the gold ticket  
_ _How 'bout the time? I gotta grind  
_ _I gotta give them my heart and my mind  
_ _I bet they AllSpark when I rhyme  
_ _'Cause like I'm an Indian Optimus Prime  
_ _And the stars given, tellin' Heaven we on with it  
_ _I've got scar stitches from a young life before dealin'  
_ _[Then with God with ya?], since the day I've been [ball breaking?]  
_ _Know it's hard livin' off course, livin' but not quittin', no  
_ _Nah; look, this race is not for the Usain Bolts or the swift  
_ _This is for those who endure to the end with a gift  
_ _So, on your mark, ready, set, let's go  
_ _Gonna set this thing on fire, bro  
_ _They said I'm unreliable, I'll make it undeniable, I'm-_ "

As Lethia took a breath and started to go into the chorus, she found that she was no longer singing alone, a familiar voice chiming in with her. Nova's heels clicked, slapping onto the table beside the blonde and joining her for the chorus, making the crowd go wild.

" _(So) Breath takin'  
_ _(So) Amazin'  
_ _(So) Make sure there's no mistakin'  
_ _(Go) The hatin'  
_ _(Go) Is waitin'  
_ _(Go) So make it undeniable  
_ _(So) Breath takin'  
_ _(So) Amazin'  
_ _(So) Make sure there's no mistakin'  
_ _(Go) The hatin'  
_ _(Go) Is waitin'  
_ _(Go) So make it undeniable_

 _Since they wanna set the world on fire, let's set the world on fire  
_ _Since they wanna set the world on fire, let's make it undeniable  
_ _Since they wanna set the world on fire, let's set the world on fire  
_ _Since they wanna set the world on fire, let's make it undeniable!_ "

As Lethia started rapping the second verse, Elena's eyes caught sight of Caroline and Stefan together. Nova sensed a hint of hostility coming from her progeny and followed her eye line to find Caroline and Stefan as well. They were dancing and enjoying themselves, completely oblivious to Lethia and Nova singing. When the duo finished belting out the final chorus, the crowd clapped and whistled like crazy. Elena was the first to leap off the table and make her way towards the two. Lethia and Nova weren't far behind, curious to see what was going to happen. They weaved through the people until they were close enough to hear the conversation.

"Look who finally joined the party," Elena started.

"Yeah," Stefan humored her. "Why? Are you jealous or something?"

"No. That would imply emotions, and we've already established those are useless. But I didn't see you guys enjoying Lethia and Nova singing."

Caroline forced a smile. "That was them? Really? I didn't know Lethia had it in her. That was awesome. Why don't you dance with us?"

"No," Elena smiled back at her, but it was a dark smile instead of a forced one like the blonde's, "you guys look good together. By all means, Care, just take him out for a spin. He could use it."

Lethia and Nova were snickering in the corner when they saw Sheriff Forbes walk in in full uniform. They both cursed and grabbed Elena before she could be carried off into the crowd. "Popo is going to bust the underage party," Lethia groaned.

Elena kept her chocolate eyes on Liz Forbes, her expression unreadable. "I'll take care of it."

"You can't compel her," Nova shook her head. "She'd already been on vervain and now it's in the water supply. You'd need much more practice."

"You didn't practice before compelling Pastor Young to blow up the council," the brunette quipped. "Besides, I had no intention on compelling her." She walked past the elder girls right up to Sheriff Forbes, grabbing a red solo cup of liquor on the way.

"Elena," Liz started off cautiously. "What's going on here?"

"Just some underage drinking and drug use." She shrugged.

"Where's Stefan?"

"He's actually busy flirting with your daughter. But I think he's a good rebound for her because of the whole Tyler thing."

Liz looked at her with shock all over her face. "I'm shutting this down right now."

Lethia and Nova's eyes widened. Both girls unsure of what to do. They just shrugged, deciding to watch it play out and see what Elena would do. Liz started to move past the brunette but Elena stood in her way, stopping her. Her hand jerked out, grabbing the older woman's upper arm. "Liz, please. Why don't you just stay and have a drink?"

"Elena, take your hand off of me."

"Should we stop her?" Lethia whispered. "She's your progeny."

The ravenette shook her head. "Whatever Elena has on her mind, let it happen."

"And if she attacks the freaking sheriff?"

Nova smirked at her long time comrade. "Are you going to tell me that after all this time you're afraid of law enforcement?"

Lethia rolled her eyes. "Of course not. But it is Caroline's mom and someone Elena has emotional ties to. Killing her could be the thing she regrets if she ever turns her humanity back on."

"Key words being 'emotional ties' and 'if'."

"Isn't there something horrible you've ever done with your humanity off that you regretted when it came back on?"

Nova was silent for a moment, staring at Elena and Liz. "Nope," she finally answered.

They watched Elena's face start to change, her grip on Liz's arm tightening. "Either you have a drink, or I will."

Sheriff Forbes instinctively reached for her gun but before she could touch it Elena had her pinned against a wall. She hissed and snarled, leaning in for the kill, but Lethia and Nova sped over and ripped her off just as Caroline made it over. She started frantically checking over her mother, making sure she was unharmed. Liz assured her daughter she was fine. Elena growled and broke free from Nova and Lethia, storming out of the house with great speed.

"Caroline," came Stefan quickly as the blonde vampire seethed. "Calm down."

"Go where you know it's safe," Nova quickly told Lethia. "Stay until I call and tell you it's clear." The blonde hybrid nodded and dashed out of the boarding house next.

"Calm down?!" Caroline yelled. She looked to Nova with fury. "This is your fault that she's like this! I'm gonna wring her skinny little neck!"

The ravenette's eye twitched with anger bubbling inside of her. "I understand what Elena did was out of line, but if you don't watch your mouth about my progeny who was once your best friend then I will rip your tongue from your mouth." She snarled, baring her fangs, and sped off out of the house in search of Elena.

On the second floor above them, Nessa watched the entire scene unfold in her dual colored eyes.

* * *

"Elena!" Caroline shouted through the trees. "Don't make me fight you, Elena! I'm stronger than you, and I don't want to hurt you."

Elena sped into the clearing, tossing Caroline harshly against a tree before grabbing her by the throat and holding her to the cool ground. "Who's gonna get hurt?" Caroline thrashed beneath her, growing fearful because she couldn't get the upper hand. She looked up as Elena's already dark irises bled to a dark black, her fangs extended but the rest of her face unchanged. "It's amazing, how truly powerful the Vasile bloodline truly is."

Stefan ran in suddenly, rushing Elena off of Caroline. He helped the blonde to her feet as Elena chuckled, getting to hers. "You're not a Vasile though, Elena. You're a Gilbert."

"This isn't you, and you know it!" Caroline shouted. "You hurt my mom, Elena. How far are you gonna take this?"

"I know I'm not a Vasile," the brunette told them in a dark tone. "But I can feel the strength of their bloodline extending to me. Nova is my sire, giving me the blood of a Vasile vampire. Her blood turned me. I have Vasile blood in me now."

Stefan was roughly grabbed from behind, Caroline kicked off to the side like a ragdoll. Nova had him in a tight chokehold and chuckled a little. "She's actually quite right, you know. When my parents experimented they tried a whole journal's worth of different things on me. They made me immune to vervain and wolf venom, but they also had the tiniest dose of something magical to try on me - _sânge de înger_."

"Angel blood," the younger Salvatore breathed fearfully beneath Nova's grip.

"How the hell did your parents have angel blood?!" Caroline questioned as she got to her feet again.

Nova shrugged. "Turns out one of the oldest Vasiles, Saskia Vasile, kept a vial of her blood from before she turned for emergencies. My mother used the smallest amount while she was pregnant to make sure she didn't lose her daughters or her own life. Then my father used it on me."

"I never came across Saskia's name in any of my research," Stefan spoke quickly. "How do you know it's true?"

"Wouldn't you want to stay under the radar if you were a nephilim, a creature with a target on your head because you're the product of an angel and a human?"

* * *

[Flashback]

 _Sweat was starting to pour down Nova's head and neck. Her hair was in disarray and emerald eyes bloodshot. She angrily flung her hair into a ponytail when it kept getting in her face. She could hear them, every last one of them, begging for mercy again. Every man and woman she ever fed from and never gave a chance to live their lives. It was always either feed and erase or feed and kill, the latter being a good chunk of her vampire career. She was digging through her closet, flinging off the shadows of the deceased. She found a box she thought she had been looking for and started furiously searching through its contents on her floor._

* * *

[Present]

Nova tossed Stefan to the ground and tugged a silver chain from her pocket. At the end of the chain was a glass vial filled almost to the top with thick, red. "I didn't know what it was I was looking for while under the Hunter's Curse, but something was forcing my hand to look for it. I'd know what it was when I found it like it would break the curse. Turns out dear old mom left it in my belongings for me to take. I've had it with me all these years and never knew." She looked at the vial, the four of them standing around in a square waiting for one to make a move. "The nephilim blood they put in me after already making me super charged bound to each singular cell and multiplied over and over. Each cell that didn't already have angel blood attached to it got some and those that did got more. You see, we Vasiles descend from an archangel - Remiel - who took a human vessel and had a nephilim daughter, continuing the line for centuries to come. That nephilim blood is what helped and forced my body to adapt and survive. It's made me stronger than I honestly probably should be, adapting to things like vervain and magic like my daylight necklace. It's so strong that it got passed right to Elena when she drank my blood, and right to Damon each time he has."

Caroline's eyes flicked to Stefan who was looking between Nova and Elena with anticipation. "So what are you doing with the vial now then? What ace in the hole does some old relative's blood give you?"

"A lot, actually. It could have broken the Hunter's Curse, Kol's compulsion, protected me against Deadly Nightshade." She shrugged.

"And what are you doing with it right now?" Stefan questioned with concern.

A couple of small twigs and leaves crunched, causing the four to avert their attention. Damon walked into the clearing with Nessa at his side. Nova locked eyes with the heterocromia eyed girl, clutching the vial tightly in her hand. "My name is Nessa," she started slowly, walking forward with her hands raised. "Nessa Vasile. Considerably, I would be your great, great aunt. I know about that vial; we've all heard the rumors and went looking for the truth."

"You'll have to tear it from my hands if you want it."

"You mistake me; I don't want it for myself, Nova. It was a gift bestowed upon _you_. That means it is meant for you to use it."

"Wh-what exactly does that mean?" Stefan questioned.

Nessa smiled softly at Nova, her different colored eyes inviting. "My aunt Adina was the one to turn me in my time of need, but she was a cursed twin to my mother Ilana. Adina was a vampire and supernatural sympathizer so when she went looking into the supernatural rumors of the Vasile line my mother outed her as a witch. She would be drowned as a witch in the morning when a woman came to her, giving her her blood that turned my aunt when she was drowned. It was not a random vampire to save my aunt; I believe entirely that it was Saskia Vasile. What's in that Vial is the remnants of her blood before she was turned."

"How could Saskia have been turned if the Mikaelsons were the first vampires through a spell?" Elena asked skeptically.

"There are other breeds of vampire out there, child," Nessa told her. "Aside from that, Saskia was around in Silas' time. They were involved, they knew each other well. I have yet to find solid events and proof, but it came time to perform the spell, Saskia escaped with the immortality elixir before Silas knew what he was getting into. Waking Silas you've essentially damned our lineage if we stand alone. That vial of Saskia's pure nephilim blood is our last hope."

"And what exactly am I supposed to do with it?" Nova quipped.

"Drink it, of course." She responded matter of factly. "You would become the beacon of the blood, linking each one of us and giving us an anchor to fuel from. When Saskia, Runa, and Remiel vanished as the Vasile line grew, it left us without a power source. If you drink that vial then you will turn the lights on in our blood. You'll be the head of the clan, keeping the rest of us ready for the fight. We would have no reason to hide away in the shadows away from the name anymore. We could be free."

Nova looked to the vial almost hesitantly. Damon looked between her and Nessa rapidly. He wasn't certain if it would be good for Nova with her humanity off. Maybe it would channel her towards her clan instead of killing humans?

Her eyes flicked again at the vial and she licked her lips. "So whoever tips Saskia's nephilim blood from a solid couple _thousand_ or so years ago wears the crown of the Vasiles?"

Nessa nodded. "It must be a high powered Vasile woman. One who has a strength over her own blood. When it is the right woman, it will unite the rest of the clan. Let us know we are no longer alone in the world. Otherwise, the person who drinks the vial will burn inside out."

Caroline grit her teeth and lunged for her (former?) best friend. Elena already had her eyes on the blonde and smirked. Before Caroline's fist could make contact, the younger vampire already had ahold of it. "You fight like a girl." She spat before flipping the blonde onto the ground. "Are you trying to make me feel bad for hurting your mom? Don't you get it? I don't care." She twisted Caroline's arm back, breaking it and making her cry out in pain. "I mean, maybe you should try to turn it all off. Who knows? You might stop whining about how Tyler left you. Added bonus: you won't have to feel guilty about all the dirty thoughts you have about Klaus. You know Lethia might try to kill you if she found out?"

Having heard enough, Damon rushed forward and restrained the brunette tightly. His brother looked to him with wide, growing angry eyes. "Do something about Nova, Damon!"

"And let Elena grab any chunk of tree out here to ram into Blondie?" Damon scoffed.

Nessa looked to the olive eyed brother with the slyest smirk he'd ever seen. He actually had to do a double take. When he finally met her eyes she told him, "The sire bond is null and void, Stefan. I told you that earlier."

Nova's eyes fluttered wider, her long lashes brushing against her eyebrows as her gaze turned to Damon. Elena also stopped squirming and looked up at the raven haired Salvatore. He looked first and immediately to the emerald eyed Romanian. Something deep inside of him reminded him frequently that sire bond or not he and Nova would go to the ends of the Earth for each other. _She'd even helped him look for Katherine for years without even knowing it…_

Having had enough, Stefan took his chances and rushed for Nova in the hopes that her guard was even a fraction down. He was entirely thrown for a loop when _Nessa_ tackled him before he could reach the Romanian. He writhed beneath her, yelling and demanding what the hell she was doing. She held him firmly on the ground, her irises flashing a glowing fuchsia. She looked up and over him, right back to Nova. "I truly believe you are the savior of our blood, Nova!" She shouted to her technical niece, the sly smirk across her pale lips. "You will be protecting every woman with Vasile blood, including your own sire and progeny!"

" _But Elena might not be able to survive this without you,"_ Jeremy's voice echoed through Nova's skull. " _I was the only blood she had left from her human life so it's up to you to show her that her vampire blood family is there too."_

Stefan shouted and writhed beneath Nessa's vice like grip. Elena's eyes found the elder Vasile's different colored ones; she smirked and nodded to the younger vampire, putting a smirk across Elena's lips. Damon didn't take his eyes off of Nova for a second. He watched the light waver in her shining emerald eyes, the way her hand clasped tightly around the vial shook with anxiety. He had never seen her so afraid as he had when Klaus forced her hand, tried to take her crown. She just wanted better for herself and her family. As his own heart beat harshly against his ribs, Damon gave Nova the smallest nod of approval when she looked to him.

Sire bond or not, that was all she needed. Against Stefan's screams, Nova ripped the top off of the vial and tipped it back to her lips. As soon as the liquid passed her lips she was stunned, literally and figuratively. It was the sweetest thing she'd ever tasted. She wanted more than what was left. Once the final drop cleared the glass, the vial slipped from her pale fingers and clattered onto the grass. Everything around her had gone quiet and stilled. Every person, every sound, every animal silenced and stopped. A lifeless gloss filmed over her eyes and they fluttered shut. Without letting go of Elena, Damon sped over to the ravenette and snatched her up as she started to fall backwards and vanished through the trees with both of them. Once they were gone, Nessa released Stefan and vanished as well, leaving Stefan and Caroline helplessly in the woods.

* * *

Lethia flung the little boots she had worn for the party off as soon as she crossed the threshold. Without skipping a beat she kept running through the foyer towards the parlour. She could smell the paint and incense burning. Klaus heard her little feet as soon as they hit the driveway. He turned around when she got closer, glad that he did as she jumped right for him. He caught her, laughing a little at the abrupt affection. "That awful of a day where you're this excited to see me?"

She threw herself onto the couch, letting him paint, and groaned dramatically. "Let me tell you," she rolled her eyes. "Damon found a Vasile and it turns out she's bat shit crazy."

His brush stopped mid-motion. "Who did he find exactly?"

"Nessa Vasile. She's been at the boarding house. Puts up old ass sigils in her blood all over the place - I can smell that shit even worse now. She somehow also managed to spell her door shut and make it zap Stefan when he tried to get in. Then, on top of that crazy ship, she burnt a portion of the Vasile family crest into the door with freakin' pinky purple flames."

Klaus chuckled a little, glancing down at the blonde. "Fuschia?"

She rolled her eyes. "Artists and their freakin' color wheel," she muttered. "Elena lost her shit at our party and tried taking a bite out of Sheriff Forbes which was fantastic. Like, I'm sorry, don't you think we'd all love to just eat the law enforcement? Nova told me to go before shit hit the fan so I'm assuming I'm missing all the good stuff." She shrugged. "I think I liked it better when Nova was known as the last Vasile on Earth."

He sighed a little, still painting. "Sorry luv, seems the Vasiles are coming out of the shadows now. I'll be honest with you, in 1913 my little brother Kol met a beautiful woman by the name of Carina LaBelle. Long story short, he ended up turning her and we found out LaBelle was not her real name. She took it in fear of using Vasile while she hid from her persecutors."

"Oh fuck," Lethia sat up cross-legged on the couch. "Does that mean that when Kol died, Carina went with?"

"Sometimes being a Vasile has its perks," a French accented woman's voice echoed through the hall. Heels clacked across the floors until the owner of the voice stood in the doorway of the parlour. She was tall and lanky with defined curves, her dark, wavy hair showing hints of its magenta undertone in the lights and flowing down her back. She wore dark navy skinny jeans with black heeled boots, a maroon button down shirt that hugged each curve, and cat like emerald eyes. Her pink lips turned into a smirk. "Like being a part of your own sire line, regardless of who turned you."

Lethia had jumped to her feet, standing by Klaus' side. "So you're…?"

"Carina," she purred with a small nod. "Carina LaBelle-Vasile. Kol was there for me in the time I could have needed him the most. What started off as nothing more than a fling turned into something magnificent. He was always such fun and I feared death so badly, always looking over my shoulder, so we agreed for him to turn me. He unfortunately ended up in a box not terribly long after." She shot a cold glare to Klaus before returning her eyes to Lethia. "Can you feel it yet, child?"

Her eyebrow quirked. "Feel what?"

"You were turned with Vasile blood, were you not? I can smell it all over you, just barely stronger than his." Another glare to Klaus who rolled his eyes that time. "Your comrade just established a bloodline connection to us all."

"What the bloody hell exactly did Nova do?" Klaus snapped, taking a step between the two women.

Carina looked to him with a contempt boredom. "When I went looking for my cousin Clara I found the path she had walked, the rumors she went chasing. They said there was a vial of Saskia Vasile's blood out there; nephilim blood. Pure, untainted, human and angel. When Clara linked the Vasile blood to angelic descendance she went missing without a trace. Right here in Virginia. Saskia honestly probably still walks this Earth, just as some vampire-nephilim hybrid." She thought for a second before adding, "I wonder if that's what Nova is now."

Before Klaus could question again what the hell Nova did, Lethia cut him off. She'd now seen two more Vasiles and neither of them were the woman she saw at Christmas with the Estonian child. "Does Clara look similar to you? Do you maybe have a picture of her still?"

Carina reached around her neck, tugging out an old silver chain with a locket at the end. She stepped closer to Lethia (who pushed her way past Klaus) and clicked open the locket, showing her an old black and white photo on each side. "This is the last thing I found of my cousin in decades. She's on the left, I'm on the right."

Something cracked through to Lethia, through to her humanity, as she stared at the photos. It started to shake her deep in her core. She stepped back with a hand thoughtfully to her mouth as Carina slipped the locket back beneath her shirt. Both the ravenette and Klaus could see the look of hard thought on the blonde. After a moment, Klaus' eyes flicked to Carina. "What Vasile women are where, to the best of your knowledge?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "Everybody knows about your craziest sister Daciana," she rolled her eyes, ticking off the names on her manicured fingers, "Adina is still searching for her niece Nessa who is hilariously in this miserable, washed up town now, Zina and Alina are on the Other Side with probably a good handful of others, and I know for a fact deep in my soul that Clara is alive somewhere. Oh! Rumor has it Zina had a child out of wedlock." She shrugged. "Something about her being raped while she was still human, poor thing."

"And you're positive of each and every one of them?" Klaus verified, understanding where Lethia's mind was.

"I can feel it," she tapped her chest lightly. "I can feel the lifeforce, heartbeat, and touch of Grace each woman has within them. And I can tell you there's one much darker than the rest that my body wants nothing to do with. It's trying to reject linking up with her. I suspect that it's Saskia." Lethia's eyes widened.

"She should be long since dead if she was alive during Silas' time, should she not?"

Carina scoffed. "How foolish of you to think such a thing. Silas wanted immortality. He was trapped where he was to rot because he lied to and betrayed Qetsiyah which Saskia exploited so she could take the immortality elixir and run, leaving Silas to rot. Saskia feared Death even worse than I did. So much worse that she went to horrendous lengths to ensure her avoidance of him." She looked to Lethia, slowly heading out the door. "I'm certain you'll feel it soon, sweetheart. Once you've got Vasile blood in you it's like a cancer and you'll never get rid of it."

Klaus stepped past Lethia, looking to Carina as she started to walk curiously. "And where exactly do you think you're off to?"

"Nova invoked the blood of our clan," she told him over her shoulder. "She drank the last vial of Saskia's nephilim blood, linking us each one by one. It will affect each of us differently in an attempt to draw the remnants of us together. Strength in numbers and all that jazz."

"Wait," Lethia called, jogging up to her. "How do you know all of this?"

She smiled at the blonde. "Clara left her personal journal hidden somewhere only I knew how to find. She detailed each lead she found that got her captured. Each lead I've followed through with and found the truth." She looked back to Klaus with a hint of disdain. "I can get you more information but Clara is and always has been my priority. I will find her, whatever it takes." Without another word her heels clicked out the door, letting it shut behind her.

Klaus put a hand comfortingly on Lethia's shoulder as she stared at the door with wide eyes. "It was Saskia," she started off quietly. "The woman at Christmas with the little girl…" Tears started to well in her amber eyes as she turned to look up at him. "And that little girl was a Kross wolf, wasn't she?"

He looked down at her, finding pain growing slowly in his chest. He could almost see her humanity cracking. Gently, he touched her face. "It probably was, luv," he told her honestly. "If it was Saskia, nobody knows her true intentions. She's done well at hiding herself even from my family for thousands of years. Tell me, why is it I see fear in your eyes?"

"Someone as awful as Saskia Vasile is rumored to be should not even know about any Kross wolf remnants, let alone having one under her wing and calling her fucking 'mom' in our home tongue." She shook her head. "For all we know, that little girl could be her sacrificial goat. It's been another century. If she is a Kross wolf then she could be the next one meant to be sacrificed. Saskia can use that sacrifice to channel who knows what!"

He tilted his head to the side curiously. "You know, for having shut your humanity off shortly after turning you're still the same protective, firecracker as before. Not so cold, uncaring, and bloodthirsty like little Elena or your comrade."

She laughed a little, looking up at him with astonishment. "Then you have clearly not been informed about what the three of us have been up to in our free time. Fun fact: I was in a cheerleading competition with Elena today." She winked, rubbing her hands up his chest. "We let Caroline hit the floor and took out a couple of girls on the opposing team. Well, after having to make one of our own 'vanish' so I could get on the team." She grinned. "What have you accomplished today?"

Klaus did his best to keep his expression unreadable, thinking back to the Crescent wolf Hayley also looking for answers about her family. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his head, smiling lightly and pulling the blonde close. "Surprisingly, nothing of significant importance. Nobody impaled or gruesomely butchered by the hands of Klaus Mikaelson today." He laughed, hoping she would just go with it.

"Lame," she shrugged, giving him some relief. "I understand why vampires shut it off now. Why Nova has. After the Moore link, all this angel and demon nonsense, and dying, I get it. I like it." She smirked.

He lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, and kissed her. "I've always liked you, Let. Perhaps even more since you stopped giving a damn."

* * *

"Where the hell are you?" Stefan demanded when Damon finally answered his phone. "Where did you take Elena and Nova?"

Damon's eyes flicked to Elena in his passenger's seat as she looked to him, hearing the entire conversation. "Out for a drive. I needed some space. It's not me, it's you."

"Well, we got a little problem. You said blood was stolen from Grove Hills Hospital? The sheriff said there's been reports of six other blood bank thefts all within 30 miles of Mystic Falls. Somebody's stockpiling blood. It wasn't Elena, and it's not us."

"Okay, and?" Damon rolled his eyes. "What does it matter if it's not us?"

"I think Silas followed us back from that island. He hasn't fed in 2000 years, so he would need to gorge on blood. It explains the thefts."

"You know, I'm really not in the mood to scooby-doo our way through the case of the stolen blood supply, so why don't you hold the fort down until I get back, and I'll be in touch, brother." He smirked and ended the call, tossing his phone across the dash.

Elena scoffed with a small smirk of her own. "He's gonna hate you for that."

"Yeah, well, emotions are overrated."

A small groan came from the backseat and Nova started to sit up slowly, holding her head. Once her eyes focused enough she realized she was in the Camaro. "What the hell happened?"

Damon looked at her through his mirror. "You tipped back the vial of Saskia Vasile's nephilim blood and linked the entire Vasile clan so now we're on a road trip."

She blinked a few times. "Where the hell could we possibly be going if everything is going to hell in Mystic Falls and across the globe?" She rubbed her chest, feeling an unusual weight and tugging in all directions.

He smirked and handed back an old photo of him, her, and Will. "Where every newbie vampire needs to go; you and Thea's favorite stomping grounds - New York. The city that never sleeps."

Sitting upright fully and finally entirely awake again, Nova's eyes lit up a glowing violet. She let a small gasp escape her lips from the new sensation.


	39. Lost in the Dark of Your Ways

**A/N:** Oh Lordy Lucifer I am sooo ridiculously sorry! Life has been _crazy_. And for some reason my chapters are getting longer LOL  
This was supposed to be published on the 17th buuutttt I suck. The 24th was also supposed to be a hiatus week but here we are on the 25th because, again, I suck LOL

I'm not certain if I'll be updating _Devil in Me_ on Tuesday or not. It was supposed to be a hiatus day for it but I'm behind a chapter on that now. Yay me!

I'll get my shit together in June.

...I hope! LOL

In the meantime here is 04x17: Because the Night!

Be sure to find my Facebook page and give a like!

* * *

39: Lost in the Dark of Your Ways.

[Flashback, about 2500 years ago]

"What an interesting weapon you have there." Cain ripped the First Blade from a man's chest the moment he heard the woman's sultry purr. He spun around, holding the blade to her chest, and she grinned. "Will you do it? Will you really, _khuba_?"

He found himself caught up momentarily in the way her emerald eyes glimmered with such a darkness. She didn't find him killing an innocent man and look to him with contempt. There was a sick curiosity within her. He kept the tip of the blade pressed against the side of her sternum. "This blade will kill anything and anyone." He slowly started to drop the blade. "Get out of here, girl."

Her hand whipped up, surprising him, and grabbed his hand holding the blade. She had a profound strength, preventing Cain from taking his hand away. She kept the tip pressed against her, forcing it harder. "I must say, I do doubt that. I think I may very well be an anomaly for your precious blade, _khuba._ "

"Stop that," he commanded, trying to take his hand and weapon back.

Saskia pressed it further, cutting the thin, black fabric of her dress and breaking through the first couple of layers of skin. "I've got a bit of an extended life you see," she explained, pushing the blade in further. "Unfortunately, it won't last me the forever I desire. Nothing I have found yet will keep me dead but it isn't permanent." She tilted her head to the side, stepping into the blade and closer to Cain. Her blood started to pour down his hand. "Why be immortal temporarily when I can make it eternal?"

Cain was giving up on the thought that she was bluffing as the blade eased slowly through her skin. He could feel her flesh tearing slowly, her warm blood cascading down the hilt and his icy hand. "And exactly what are you willing to do in order to get what it is that you seek?"

"I have already killed in the hunt for what I desire and I will never stop," she whispered seductively before driving the First Blade deep into her abdomen, getting closer to him. "Can you hear them too?"

"I stopped listening for angels when Lucifer had me trade my life for my brother's. Have you any idea who I am, girl?"

She smiled up at him, their noses nearly touching. She kept her cold hand on his, preventing him from removing the blade. It started to burn suddenly, buried to the handle in her abdomen. Her dark red blood flowed steadily down them both. He couldn't let go of the blade, and she couldn't let go of him. "I know exactly who you are, _khuba._ "

"Then stop calling me something I cannot feel."

With her other hand, Saskia reached up and touched his cheek. Beneath both of their dark, bloody sleeves that held the First Blade, red scorched through their veins like fire. It started at the Mark on his arm and stopped at the same point on hers. "Get over yourself, _khuba_ ," she smirked, causing him to glare down at her. "You need me."

Without warning, once the burning on her arm stopped, she thrust his hand away, ripping the First Blade out of herself. Cain staggered back a step, watching with wide eyes as hers ignited a stunning mauve. He looked down to the hole in her abdomen and watched through the tatters of her dress as it healed slowly; each string of skin coming back together. She held her arms out to look at the damage, her bell sleeves sliding down her arms and revealing the Mark of Cain not transferred but mirrored onto her arm. Twigs nearby snapped, both of their heads turning to the sound. Someone had been walking by and stopped, mortified by the scene.

She let out a scream and tried to run. Cain looked to Saskia, her irises still glowing a marvelous mauve. A sly and malefic look crossed her face just a moment before she took off after the girl. Cain found himself standing still, Saskia's blood still dripping off of his hand and blade. He watched her grab the bystander by the throat and throw her into a tree before driving her hand deep into the innocent girl's chest. When Saskia ripped her hand back, letting the girl drop to the ground with a hole in her chest, she held the barely beating heart in her hand. Cain found himself growing incredibly interested in her suddenly.

* * *

[Flashback, NYC 1977]

"This is dreadful," Nova sneered with a look of disdain as she walked the streets of New York City with Damon. "It is filthy and there are so many rude, disgusting people."

Damon chuckled and guided her towards a busy nightclub, laughing extra at the way her disgusted frown deepened. "New York is like an all you can eat buffet, _dolcezza_. There's so much life that a handful of death goes completely unnoticed." Out of the back door of the club a man and woman exited, talking about their date. Damon grinned. "Sometimes food gets delivered without you even having to order out here."

Nova rolled her eyes and vanished into the dark alleys with Damon watching the couple. He snickered as they walked past the alley Nova had gone into and sure enough the woman found a body. Her date told her to stay there and turned to get help, but in the split second that he turned the body and his date were gone. He stopped in his tracks, looking around frantically. On the third time he looked behind him he found Damon with blood on his mouth, dropping the man's date on the ground.

He shook, taking a step back. "You're that serial killer, aren't you? The Son of Sam?"

There was another thud behind him, causing him to jump and spin around. Nova had dropped the first body again, blood also running down her face. She shrugged nonchalantly. "Son of Giuseppe, but close enough."

Both ravenette's smirked as their faces changed, the man's scream of mercy going entirely unnoticed over the loud music and hundreds of people.

* * *

[Present]

"What do you mean you took them to New York?"

Damon rolled his eyes at the chastising tone Stefan gave him. "And that tone is the reason I didn't pick up the phone the first twenty times you called."

"Where the hell are they right now?"

"Out exploring. Maybe Elena's eating a hot dog...vendor." He snickered.

"Can you be serious for five minutes, Damon? Nova just took a shot of fucking couple _millennium_ year old _nephilim_ blood. The last vial of Saskia Vasile's pure nephilim blood before she became _immortal_. You're supposed to be searching for Katherine."

"You should know as well as I do, brother, that the best way to find Katherine Pierce is to sick a bloodthirsty, warpath driven Nova Vasile on her. Besides," he looked at the photo of himself, Nova, and Will and up at the old neon lights reading 'Billy's', "that vampire that Katherine sent after Hayley was a friend of mine and Nova's. He lived in the city. Will got vampires fake identities, and I'm sure that Katherine was one of his clients."

Stefan was skeptical. "And Elena's okay with this little field trip? Just yesterday she was living the vampire high life. She doesn't want the cure. Nova made sure of that."

"That's exactly why I didn't tell her." He paused and guiltily added, "Or Nova."

The line was quiet for a minute. Damon almost thought his brother hung up. "Damon," he spoke cautiously at last, "if they find out what you're up to, they'll bolt. And who knows what the two of them will get into unsupervised. I'm still finding bodies the _three_ of them dropped outside of town."

"I'm aware of that, Stefan. What I'm hoping is that Elena is gonna be so wasted on booze and blood that she won't even think about it."

"And Nova?"

He chuckled dryly. "Nova gets all of her best, high quality cocaine in New York. She's got a lot of allies out here."

"I didn't think Nova liked anyone aside from you and Lethia."

"Oh she doesn't. They're not friends, Steffie. They're allies. They find her drugs, victims, top notch liquor, keep her under the radar, you name it."

"So she's got eyes all over New York fucking City and you're still trying to double cross her? The woman you've been in love with for almost two centuries?"

"Let me worry about me and the girls right now, Stefan. If I can handle you when you flipped your switch, I can handle them. I've dealt with Nova a long time. Trust me."

"Listen to me; Elena has become ruthless without her humanity. She's taking a page straight from Nova's book and making it her own. The cure is the fastest way to get her back."

Damon's ears immediately picked up on the familiar click of Nova's heels in the closing distance. "Just be a good brother and keep Mystic Falls afloat for me and let me do my thing." He looked down the street where he saw both girls; Elena grinned and flaunted off a new hairdo with Nova proudly beside her. He offered a smile to the both of them. "You've got an immortal named Silas to deal with, remember? The guy that knows the nephilim whose blood Nova just juiced up on and might still walk this Earth."

* * *

Caroline was collecting trash from around the boarding house, which was still a hot mess after Elena and Lethia's party. Finding a cup that still had alcohol in it, she drank the last sip before tossing it in the bin. She rolled her eyes when she heard a familiar chuckle behind her. "Desperate times I take it?" came Klaus.

She refused to look at him, continuing on her mission to clean. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for Lethia, actually." The blonde vampire stopped suddenly, looking at him. "She left this morning to gather Nova and Elena for the day but I have yet to hear from her confirming such."

"Because I've been kidnapped against my will!" Lethia shouted dramatically from the second floor before leaping over the rail and directly into the Original hybrid's arms. "I got here looking for the girls and Stefan had the audacity to make Riel spell me into the boarding house because Damon took Nova and Elena to New York!" She pouted, making him chuckle. "They get to go to the city and I get spelled into the boarding house? It's just not fair, _armastaja_!"

Caroline blinked in surprise, not having known at all about the Estonian hybrid in the house. Klaus' eyebrows had started to raise when Stefan walked in. He cut his eyes at the young Salvatore. Before he could demand an explanation Stefan held his hands up in defense and started to explain. "I didn't know what would happen to Lethia since Nova downed a vial of Saskia Vasile's nephilim blood and Damon took her to New York."

"I knew all of that already, Stefan," Klaus snapped, setting Lethia down on her feet at his side. "You keep her here and you deal with not only whatever she might throw at you alongside myself."

"I was going to call you here anyways. We think Silas is in Mystic Falls and that he knows Saskia."

The three's eyes widened, but before anyone could comment the front door opened abruptly. Thick heels clicked deeply across the floor, Carina Vasile waltzing in and looking about with determination in her eyes. "Nessa! Nessa you child, I know you're hiding here!"

"What the hell?" Caroline breathed, practically losing her mind. Were the Vasiles doppelgangers too? There was no way; they looked similar, the lot of them, but they weren't carbon copies of one another.

Her feline eyes looked over the four with a scowl. "Of course Silas knows Saskia, you fool. Silas does nothing without reason. He is not traipsing across this pathetic town without a reason."

Caroline's hand flew to her mouth with realization. Klaus' face remained stoic and unreadable while the blonde to his side almost shrank back, fear ghosting by her. Stefan was the one to speak what they all realized. "Saskia is also in Mystic Falls somewhere."

"And Silas will be looking for her." The ravenette told him grimly before looking up to the second floor. "Nessa, now is not the time to hide behind wards and spells! Get out here and face reality!"

Small feet thudded down the hall suddenly upstairs and Nessa ran to the banister, looking over with astonishment at her relative. "Carina…" she breathed, her dual colored eyes glimmering. "Is that truly you?"

"Does anyone else in this stupid town have a French accent and look this fabulous?" She gestured to herself. "Nova linked the bloodline with Saskia's blood. I could feel you past your weird ass warding."

Nessa ran down and wrapped her arms around the woman, her head reaching just beneath Carina's chin. "I know, I was there. I told her what it would do and she did it. Have you heard from aunt Adina yet? I can't find her with a locator spell."

"I'm sorry," Caroline interrupted, "but how can you do magic if you're a vampire…?"

Nessa's face became solemn and serious. One of her hands gingerly touched her cheekbone beneath her onyx iris. "I wasn't born with this, I did it to myself. I was born a witch - a real witch. That is why my aunt fought so hard to protect me in a time of witch killing. It was not a quick process that my mother accused her of witchcraft and had her drowned. My mother publicly shamed her own sister. Our village would harass her, abuse her, beat her. Then my mother got permission to 'drown the witch'. It killed me inside because I knew she was just protecting me."

Carina put a hand on her relative's shoulder. "While she had slightly better reasoning, she still did the same thing Daciana did." Klaus cut his eyes at her for speaking his sister's name.

"Yes, I did," she admitted. "I used my magic to find someone who would hear me and he did."

"Lucifer," Stefan exhaled grimly.

Klaus' blood was boiling slowly. "So not only have you convinced Nova Vasile out of all of you to drink the nephilim blood, but you've also had tea with the bloody devil?"

Nessa took a daring step forward, glaring a couple of inches up at him. "I did it to protect my aunt then just as I used that blood and Nova to find her now. I can still hear them sometimes you know - the angels. Lucifer was released from the Cage once a few years ago. If it happens again there is no putting him back."

He looked coldly down at the dual eyed Vasile before him. "I fail to see how that or Silas affects me."

"Well first of all," Stefan began, "you clearly knew more about the Vasile family then you lead on." He looked briefly to Carina who rolled her eyes. "Silas wants to die and be reunited with his one true love, but he's supernatural, so if he takes the cure and dies, he gets stuck on the Other Side."

"How Shakespearian," Klaus mocked him.

The olive eyed Salvatore ignored him and continued. "But if he destroys the Other Side altogether, he can take the cure, die, and pass on, but in destroying it, every dead supernatural being will return to our side."

"That means every werewolf, every witch, every vampire. I wonder how many of those you personally killed. Care yet?" Caroline quipped.

"That means Zina, Klaus," Carina reminded him.

"I'm not afraid of little Zina Vasile. Though my interest is piqued."

"It gets worse," Nessa shrugged nonchalantly.

"How much more worse could it possibly get?" the blonde vampire huffed with exhaustion.

"Nessa is lucky to be alive with what she knows and has seen," the French Vasile told her. "If it were not for the magic she knows and who she's spoken to she would likely be beside wherever my cousin is."

Nessa gave way to a soft sigh and walked over to pour herself a small glass of whiskey. "I have spoken with both Lucifer and Remiel on separate occasions in my life. When my mother had my aunt outed, Lucifer found me. I studied anything I could get my hands on relating to angels and demons. Then my aunt found me as a vampire and I couldn't have been happier." She let the alcohol burn the inside of her mouth for a moment before continuing.

"She didn't care for the path I was heading down. It wasn't too long before my mother found out about my witchcraft since I'd been talking to Lucifer. When she turned on me my aunt made me vanish before I could be under the same scrutiny. My mother, however, had chosen to be ruthless and hunt me down. When I turned, I felt the disconnection from nature. I lost my connection to Lucifer. And Remiel found me in a vision. With her guidance I found her stone, but I attracted the attention of angels and demons alike."

"You had Rem's Stone for some time?" Lethia questioned.

Nessa nodded. "I practiced with it until I felt connected to _something_ again. To this day, I'm still not sure what my anchor is that allows me to do magic, but I am limited. I started to hear the angels, the way they communicate with one another. I could hear Lucifer from time to time again, but Remiel had faded off. When my eye started to change from emerald to black I knew I had to get away from my aunt." Nobody missed the way her voice shifted, almost cracked, and tears regretfully formed in her eyes. "The stone had opened things in me that I wish I didn't know were there. I had to get rid of it and hide before the angels found and killed not just myself but my aunt as well." She turned and faced them all with tears brimming in her eyes. "Or I did it myself."

"I just don't understand what this also has to do with Saskia," Lethia commented.

"Saskia betrayed Silas and ran off with the very first immortality elixir after she'd already lost her two daughters and husband," Carina explained. "He wants her dead. But the only way he can do that is to cut off where she gets her power supply."

"And I can only imagine what that is when the woman is supposed to be long dead," Klaus snapped.

"She's a soul collector."

"A bloody _what_?"

"On top of needing human blood from time to time, Saskia has also been rumored to have the ability to take a person or creature's soul from their body, leaving them therefore soulless. That was her big bad ability as a nephilim. Cut her off from the Vasile blood she was born into and she can't suck souls anymore. Good reason why she's been making sure a certain handful of Vasile relatives don't die. Ever."

"Bonnie said Silas needs to complete three massacres to do this spell," said Stefan. "Nova had blown up twelve members of the council-"

Lethia looked up to Klaus with concern behind the emotionless blockade in her eyes. "You killed twelve of your hybrids…" She interrupted.

Stefan nodded. "And now Silas only needs one more massacre. If he's here, that's what he's plotting."

The two Vasiles exchanged wary looks. "Then he is coming for us," Carina concluded. She took a step away from Nessa, looking at her rather condescendingly. "He used your desire to find Adina, Nessa. You wanted your aunt so bad that you had Nova link us which was exactly what he wanted."

"Why exactly would Silas try to use the Vasiles if most are already on the Other Side and you'll all be brought back with his spell?" Caroline interjected.

"Because Saskia has worked so hard to preserve what there is of us," Nessa answered. "Zarya Deighton is the last human of our line and Remiel's closest descendant. Our bloodline is of angelic descent. Wiping us out starting with Zarya will trigger a lockdown against Saskia. It will be too much overloaded and eviscerate all afterlives. Silas will be able to rip Saskia's cold heart from her chest and walk this Earth freely. There will be no Other Side, no access to Heaven or Hell, there will be nothing."

"When Remiel created our line," Carina continued, "she created an anomaly in nature. When Saskia tainted our blood with immortality, she anchored us in. Even as humans none of us were actually human. That is why we go to the Other Side. Heaven refuses us and Hell cannot hold us. Imagine the Vasile souls warped into becoming demons."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "How typical of the Vasiles to be constantly giving me issues." He muttered. "There cannot possibly be twelve of you running amuck on this Earth still."

"Does that count those of us you've killed or put in boxes?" Carina hissed spitefully.

"Too bad I have yet to find a way to keep _you_ in a box of some sort," he quipped back, earning a punch to the chest from the blonde hybrid beside him.

Carina started ticking off each of them on her pointed fingers. "Zarya, myself, Nessa, Nova, your precious Daciana, Clara, Adina, Runa, Zina's daughter, Saskia, and Zina."

"There is no guarantee Clara, Runa, Remiel, or Zina's apparent mystery child are still alive. Zina I know quite well is very dead." He smirked arrogantly.

"They are though," Nessa admitted timidly.

"How can you be positive?" Stefan questioned.

Carina let out a sigh. "Have you been channeling again?"

"Yes I have. Zarya recently found Runa and restored her lifeforce. I can feel Clara and Remiel, but they're far too weak to establish a link for me to find them. Zina's daughter is doing well - so well she's learned to block me from her mind so yes she is quite lively. Silas can start with Zarya who would be the easiest to kill and it'll trigger its way backwards to all of us until Saskia is weak enough for him. Then he'll destroy everything and get his happily ever after forever."

Everyone was quiet for a long moment before Caroline spoke again. "Why would Silas go through so many hoops just to take out Saskia? Why does he have it out for your family so damn bad?"

* * *

[Flashback; Greece, c. 100BC]

Nobody made eye contact as she passed through town after town. There was something dark and very dead deep in her emerald eyes. As she made it to the outskirts of another town, her right arm started to burn. She pulled back her long, black sleeve, the Mark of Cain singing her pale skin. She could hear them not far away from her; a small group of hunters attacking a taliban. She made her way closer and realized they were a taliban of witches - Travelers. A sly smirk pulled at her pale lips.

She walked up silently behind one of the men, a silver blade slipping from her sleeve. Completely unnoticed she buried it deep into the man's spine until it nearly poked through the front. He choked on his own blood, gaining attention, and she ripped the blade out of his back. He fell right down, exposing the small ravenette behind him. The group of hunters were surprised and charged for her, making her grin wildly. In a matter of minutes she tore through each hunter, making her way through the taliban.

There was a fight happening and she ran to it. A young man with olive green eyes was protecting a woman afraid for her life. The ravenette ran in and sliced down the final attacker with ease, staring up at the duo with blood dripping down her face. They stared at the woman for a long moment before the man offered her his hand. "My name is Silas," he spoke slowly, unsure if she understood him.

"I speak your language," she hissed back, rising to her feet on her own slowly. "I speak many languages. You are Travelers."

"We are. This is my betrothed, Qetsiyah. You protected what is left of my group when you did not have to. For that, we are indebted." He smiled and gave her a small bow.

Qetsiyah offered her a smile. "Please, allow us to welcome you with us. You are welcome here for anything you need."

 _Travelers,_ she thought deviously. A smirk started to tug on her lips. "I thank you both." She slipped the blade back into her sleeve. "My name is Saskia. Saskia Vasile."

Qetsiyah took her back and cleaned the blood off of her, taking care of any injuries she came across on the way. She was surprised to find many old scars, and even more new ones. "Do you not feel any of this harm that befalls you?"

Saskia gave a small, nonchalant shrug as the woman cleaned and looked her over. "I do not feel a lot of anything. Especially not anymore."

Qetsiyah was mildly concerned for her. "I will be honestly with you, Saskia...you look as though you have barely survived childbirth recently."

"I have," she answered blandly, surprising the brunette. "My husband believed I had died and gave our daughters to a family superior to what we would have given them. He and I have been hunted some time. It was too dangerous to bring two girls into so young."

Qetsiyah took pity on Saskia and Silas recognized her valuable skills. The three made a pact that they would keep Saskia safe and protected from those who sought her out so long as she did the same for them. She became their mercenary, feeding her desire to kill each time the taliban was attacked. The Travelers trusted Saskia. She was their leaders' personal entourage and she was magnificent. They never asked any questions, such as about her previous life and family, or even the Mark on her arm. They knew she was hunted because she was special; they just thought it was because of her strength and who she had chosen prior as her husband. She knew they were hunted because they had something desirable. Something that could even benefit her. She just had to be patient.

When Silas started voicing to Saskia how he craved immortality she knew that was it all along. He admitted to her that the way she barely survived Death and still had lose her husband and children frightened and hurt him deeply. He couldn't bear the thought of having to do such a thing, to give up what - who - you love, just to survive. "I, too, never wish to face or fear Death again," she told him remotely honestly.

Silas believed the immortality spell would be the solution to all of their problems. He had some issue convincing Qetsiyah it would be worth it to do, but knowing it would benefit Saskia eased her concerns. The three of them would be eternally safe and strong. The girl Saskia convinced them she was gave them hope and so Qetsiyah agreed to do the spell with Silas. She loved him and Saskia had become her closest friend aside from Silas.

Saskia knew it was what she had been searching for all along the day Silas ran to tell her. He assured her they could do the spell and do it right. The three of them would be truly immortal. Saskia played into his joy while she thought of a plan, then Silas started to talk to her in confidence again. He trusted her enough to tell her the truth about Qetsiyah, and how he didn't want to marry her. She had a feeling for some time that Silas' interests were elsewhere, seeing the way he would look at Amara instead of Qetsiyah. He begged that she helped him get the elixir to Amara and get rid of Qetsiyah, that it would still be the same deal only with Amara instead of Qetsiyah. The three of them for all eternity. They just needed Qetsiyah to do the spell and then they could get rid of her.

While Silas saw a sweet young woman smiling at him, he couldn't see that her smile was not genuine. That it was horrific and selfish. "Whatever you heart desires, _merea_."

When it came time to do the spell, Qetsiyah had three elixirs made. Three chances for pure immortality. Saskia went to check on her and seemed genuinely concerned. She apologized to Qetsiyah for keeping it from her for so long, but she didn't believe they could pull off a spell for immortality.

"What are you talking about, Saskia?" she questioned with concern.

"I have only ever known the love of a faithful man, and Silas is also my friend," the ravenette began, slipping the elixir into her sleeve. "But I cannot go through eternity knowing what I know in secret. Silas has been having an affair with the peasant girl Amara. He wishes to spend eternity with her and for me to end your life."

At first Qetsiyah thought the ravenette might be lying. She didn't want to believe the words coming out of Saskia's mouth. Then each plant started to die one by one around them. Saskia was telling the truth. Silas was beginning the spell. Qetsiyah had already given him their vials and was going to meet him outside. She gave Saskia a grateful hug before storming off to find Silas, telling her to wait there and hold off on the spell. If Silas didn't want immortality with her then he wouldn't have it all, but they could.

Saskia had no intention of spending eternity with either of them. Using their fight as a cover, she vanished into the night with the third elixir Qetsiyah had made, leaving Silas to whatever Qetsiyah would make him endure.

* * *

[Present]

Elena gave way to an unamused sigh. "I was promised hedonism."

Damon rolled his eyes playfully, looking around the dimly lit and rather dingy bar that had become Billy's. "Well, it's early. Hedonism isn't a big fan of the sunlight."

She made a face. "Or soap."

"Easy judgy. Give it a couple of hours. This place will be crawling with more punked-out nihilists than you can eat in a decade, trust me."

"How do you know?"

"Because Nova and I spent most of the seventies here," he smirked. "The Factory was too clean, CBGB's was too high-profile, but Billy's- Billy's was the underground of the underground. We could tear apart this city with or without our humanities and it was perfectly normal."

"What traumatic event was too much for Damon Salvatore to handle?" A calm woman's voice came from the bar.

Nova looked around him to the ravenette who spoke and glanced up at Damon. Something flickered inside of her, having never quite gotten the answer herself. He went missing for a few years and returned without his humanity. She had shut hers off afraid she would never see him again. Damon saw the questioning look in his fiancee's emerald eyes. He cut a small glare at the latter woman. "And who the hell are you?"

She spun slowly on the barstool, looking cautiously at the three. Her raven hair fell in thick, long waves, mesmerizing emerald eyes staring questioningly at them. Nova paid not enough mind, still staring up at her fiance with questions of her own. When the woman on the barstool stood, her shoes clicking on the hard floor, Nova's head snapped towards her. She held her hands up in defense. "I didn't think I would actually have the honor," she started slowly. "Especially not so soon."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nova hissed, stepping in front of her sire and progeny.

"Zarya Deighton-Vasile found me not too long ago. My name is Adina Vasile. Zarya found me and next thing I know I can feel this link through our blood that allowed me to know my niece is still alive." She looked Nova up and down, marveling slightly. "It's astonishing, really. You're the strongest Vasile walking this Earth currently. You must be."

"Tell me about Zarya," Nova snapped. "She showed up on our doorstep saying some shenanigans about Lucifer, vanished, and now every little secret of the family is spilling out. I want answers."

Adina nodded slowly. "I recently received some answers myself. I've been hiding since Nessa fled. Then Zarya found me with another Vasile by the name of Runa." Damon's eyes widened a little. "They told me things about our lineage I never imagined." She sat back down slowly and sipped at her Cosmopolitan before sighing. "I learned that my grandmother, Cassia, had a sister whom she treated horribly."

"Daciana," Elena realized.

Adina nodded. "Yes. She and my grandmother were given to a family that worshipped Remiel's treasure because their birth parents were Cain and Saskia. They bore the very first Cursed Twins because she had the Mark of Cain mirrored on her own flesh."

Nova's head tilted to the side, ice frosting over her emerald eyes. "So why are you here telling me all of this nonsense instead of helping her, or even better yet, finding your niece who's basically lost her marbles for you?"

* * *

"What are we even looking for?" Caroline questioned as they started ransacking Shane's old office.

"Well, if Shane really was working with Silas," Stefan began, "chances are he was helping him plan his next move."

Carina rolled her eyes, flicking through some old papers. "I doubt he has a villain to-do list. 'Steal blood, perform 3 massacres, pick up dry cleaning'?" Another eye roll.

"Actually," Klaus interjected with a smirk, "not to nit-pick, but we evil villains usually use minions to pick up our dry cleaning, that sort of thing."

Caroline and Carina made faces of irritation and disgust. "Why is he necessary again?" They wondered aloud.

"Well, we don't exactly know what Silas is fully capable of," Nessa's voice sounded through Carina's phone on the desk. "If we do have to go head to head with him, an Original hybrid who can't die might come in handy."

"Besides," Klaus clapped Stefan on the back, "Stefan and I work well together, or at least we did in the twenties."

The green eyed vampire sighed softly. "Well, granted my emotions were off."

"And that's why you were more fun, just as Damon is probably relishing in Nova and Elena's emotionless company in New York."

"My brother knows what he's doing."

"Does he? Don't underestimate the allure of darkness, Stefan. Even the purest hearts are drawn to it. Look how far Nova has fallen since returning to this home of hers."

Carina's eyes flicked over to them as she scanned through books. She tucked some of her hair behind an ear, listening in on their conversation as Stefan's voice grew quieter.

"I wouldn't exactly say Nova Vasile ever had a pure heart."

"Then I fear you didn't know the girl in the slightest. So you aren't aware of what she could even possibly be capable of."

"I-I think I found something," Caroline called. She had an old, dusty book in her arms and dropped it on the desk. ""Symbolic Figures in the Dark Arts." Didn't Bonnie talk about Expression Triangles? Here."

"I know that book," Nessa mumbled through the call. The line went quiet a moment before she returned. "I have it in my library as well. "In some schools of magic such as Expression, human sacrifice can be used as a focus for power. It is rumored that the addition of two supernatural sacrifices compounds the mystical energy, creating an Expression Triangle." Oh that's quite horrifying, actually."

"Humans," said Stefan grimly, "that was the council fire." _Thanks to Nova._

"Demons," Carina continued, looking with a small glare up to Klaus. "Twelve dead hybrids for trying to break their sire bonds."

"And the third?" the hybrid questioned.

When Nessa was too quiet on the line for too long, Carina sighed. "We're that fucked, aren't we?"

At last the former witch let out a shaken breath. "It requires twelve souls touched by spirit magic. So twelve dead witches or twelve members of a magic bloodline."

The three saw something flash through Klaus' eyes as they all thought of Lethia, still spelled into the boarding house. She was part of the Vasile bloodline enough being linked to Nova, but becoming a hybrid secured that. They could see that he wanted to just bolt and drag Riel to shatter the barrier. Stefan's phone started to ring and he went out into the hall to answer it.

"It doesn't have to start with Zarya," Nessa grimly continued. "It would be ideal since she's the last remaining human and therefore the easiest to kill, but if this spell takes us by spirit blood then Silas can channel the spell towards any one of us and we'll all come crashing down. I need the coordinates for the first two sacrifices."

They worked on the coordinates for a few minutes before Stefan returned. He tapped on Carina's shoulder, getting her attention. "Are there any other unaccounted for Vasiles that you know of?"

She shook her head. "No, everything I told you earlier is what I know. Not a soul has seen Remiel since she left Runa's body, Clara has been missing since the early 1900s or so, and Zina's child has been rumored to be alive as a vampire still but none of us can actually confirm that."

He sighed. "I talked to Bonnie's dad just now. I think I found Silas."

"If you have," came Nessa's worried voice through the phone, "then where is Saskia? Carina...can you feel her nearby? I can't, and there is absolutely no way I am channeling that monster…"

* * *

Nova sat calmly at the bar sipping a whiskey on the rocks, her posture as straight and regal as ever. She listened to Adina's stories, and what Zarya had to tell her. Elena watched tantalizingly, waiting for some kind of reaction. Damon sat between his fiancee and her progeny practically holding his breath. After everything Adina had to tell her about her sister Ilana, Saskia, Cain, Runa, angels, demons; after everything poured out and Nova remained dead silent, he prayed to whoever would hear that something got through to her.

At first, Adina just thought Nova Vasile was this hard, icy rock raised with a crown on her head. She had to be a proper princess. But as Adina finished speaking, she realized there was much more to Nova's coldness than just the Romanian royalty she had been born into. As Nova turned to look her in the eyes at last Adina saw dark nothingness. She let out a gasp involuntarily and sprung from her seat. Elena looked to the elder Vasile and Adina saw the horrifying same in the girl's doe eyes. Her hand flew to her mouth with a fearful shock.

She started to shake her head. Damon stood slowly and protectively. "There is evil in your heart, Nova. You are consumed by bitterness and it spreads within you like a disease."

Nova rose to her feet, causing Adina to back up another couple of paces. A sly smile played at her maroon lips. "I'm surprised it took you this long to realize."

"To shut off your emotions is to shut off who you are, child." Adina lectured her even with a shaking voice. "Each time you do such a thing you lose a portion of yourself. A portion you will never retrieve. To do such a thing after drinking Saskia's nephilim blood is just blasphemy. You have no idea what you have done!"

"Oh, you've gotten something mixed up; I already had my humanity off when I tipped back Saskia's blood." She shrugged. "And this isn't the first time I've done it. I was just too weak to keep it off the previous times."

Damon tried his best to ignore that comment as the front door chimed, a small group of nicely dressed people waltzing in. The growing crowd of usuals at Billy's silenced and backed away as the group sealed off the exit. Damon and Adina took a couple of steps back while Elena and Nova took the lead in front of them. Nova looked each one of them up and down, seeing a glimmer of light haloing off of each one of them. Angels. She rolled her eyes and yawned, completely uninterested. The angel blades slid from each of their sleeves and she snickered. "This isn't going to be one of those 'make my day' moments, is it?"

The leader of the group stepped forward with his blade proudly in his hand, arrogant smirk on his vessel's face. "Two Vasile abominations under one roof; it's my lucky day. And I thought I would only get to kill the one juiced up on filthy nephilim blood." He pointed his blade to Nova. "You should watch out who your sweetheart prays to in the hopes that you'll - what do you beasts call it? Oh yes, that you'll turn your humanity back on." He tossed a smirk towards Damon who scowled and snarled at him.

Nova let out a small, sarcastic laugh, stepping forward threateningly. "What are you going to do, smite me?" She scoffed. Each of them braced themselves with their angel blades. "Okay, why not?" She shrugged, eyes darkening. "Every last one of you stupid angels will know to leave my family alone after this slaughter." Her lips pulled into a sick grin, fangs slowly extending over her lip and veins growing beneath her eyes that ignited violet. She looked quickly to Elena and told her " _Şedere_."

One by one Nova tore through the angels. She turned their own blades against them, igniting them in lights and burning their wings onto the walls and floor. Damon called to her at one point, trying to rush to her side, but Elena held her arm out, keeping him there. He looked down with horror at the captivated look on her face. When he couldn't take anymore, he shook his head and slipped off to the back. As the final angel tried to run for his life, Nova made a grab for his throat. She missed and slammed her palm on his forehead accidentally, incinerating him from flames to ash.

She turned to Adina behind her and just caught Damon dashing off into the back room. Covered in angel blood, the regulars of the bar started to clap for Nova. She wiped some of the blood across her cheeks (half in an attempt at getting it off and failing) and looked to Adina who stood before her shaking. "Do you trust being protected and lead by me now?" Adina didn't answer; she only slumped back onto her bar stool. "I'll send Nessa out this way unless you wanted to visit Mystic Falls." She grabbed Elena's hand and vanished into the growing crowd to feed on the unsuspecting and compellable humans.

After a few minutes Adina finally stopped shaking enough to run out of the bar without looking back.

* * *

[Flashback, 1977]

Nova laid across the bar of Billy's in her ripped jeans and Nirvana shirt, hair fanned out beneath her. Her leather jacket had been discarded on one of the bar stools, several IDs scattered about her both on the bar and floor. Fresh blood still dripped from her lips that curved into a sick smile, trailing down her jaw and onto the floor. The emerald of her irises was barely seen from how dilated her pupils were. If she had a human heart she would have been long since in cardiac arrest for how fast it was beating. She was numb, clearly high on drugs and the thrill of the kill.

Slumped against the side of the bar were a few of her discarded victims, their throats completely shredded open and claw marks gouged deep into their chests. One of Nova's arms fell over the side of the bar, warm blood dripping off of her finger tips. The music beat loudly through the wood, thumping beneath her numb body. In the crowd Damon still shredded unsuspecting victims. As she stared at the ceiling fan above her, Nova started to laugh.

[Present]

"You are aware that Damon gave us the slip, right?" Elena questioned with a hint of condescending in her tone.

Nova shrugged as she continued dancing to the music. "When he finds what he's looking for will open the window for us to find out what he's up to and take what he found." She made her way through the crowd to an unlit portion at the end of the bar she had claimed for herself years ago. Looking around quick she took out a vial of white powder and poured some on the bar. She traded the vial for her credit card and started cutting her coke, shifting it around into a line.

"The last time you were here with Damon," came Elena's voice behind her, causing her to jump slightly, "was her humanity off then too?"

The ravenette sighed softly and quickly snorted her line before answering her progeny with her back still turned. "It was. And it stayed that way for...for a very long time."

"I thought you needed like, a hundred dollar bill or something to do that," she commented towards the drug use on the bar.

Nova shrugged. "I keep my shit in a vial because it's more protective than a baggie and when you've been blowing coke for as long as I have, you become a bit of a pro and don't need a straw or anything. I also don't care to do drugs around those who don't. Why the grilling?"

"What made you turn your humanity back on?"

Nova stopped and faced her, curious about what her motive was. She thought for a moment, remembering the night in the 90s. "When I found out about Damon searching for Katherine," she admitted. "Everything crumbled around me. I didn't know what to do anymore, what was real or not. So I bailed. I tried to live like a human to make up for what I'd done but I didn't belong."

Elena's eyebrows raised a little. "So you had it off for essentially 50 years before it returned and you returned to Mystic Falls?"

She shrugged and ordered another drink for the two of them. "I tried a lot of normal human things in the decade and a half without Damon. I tried for a long time to kick the coke habit and that worked about as well as the cigarettes." She rolled her eyes. "The weed made it easier to not blow the coke, but nothing made it easy to stop feeding on humans. All I could do was refrain from killing them. But living with that little human family for a while," she shook her head. "It reminded me everyday about what I'm not anymore."

Both girls turned when they heard Damon approaching behind them. He had to admit, albeit to himself, it was rather creepy the way they acted. "Sorry, had to get some quiet. Couldn't hear Stefan over The Runaways 2.0."

Nova eyed him suspiciously, thinking it was more than just that. She stood, keeping eye contact with him, and smiled slyly. "That's fine, _iubițel_. I'm just gonna go to the bathroom."

As if on cue, Elena jumped up by her side. "Girl code for me to go with." She shrugged. "Girls never use public restrooms alone."

Damon didn't question it, not having a chance to before they were gone into the crowd even if he wanted to. He didn't miss the white residue on Nova's nostril. He could only just hope she wasn't bringing Elena to the bathroom to get her into doing a line or two with Nova. Unbenounced to him, the two girls dashed off to the same back room he had recently exited. It was filled with various paperwork scattered about in dusty old boxes, some recently sifted through. A smirk played at Nova's lips.

"Damon and I used to collect IDs for Will because he'd help give fleeing vampires safe identities," Nova explained. "He had a repeat customer - 5' 7" brunette. Said she was a runner."

Elena sighed and rolled her eyes. "Katherine."

"Yahtzee," the ravenette replied as she pulled out a folder. "The poor guy was so ridiculously OCD; everything is organized by peoples' birth dates."

"And you found that quicker than Damon did."

"Well I'd never forget my arch nemesis' birthday," she smirked as Elena snapped photos on her phone of the papers.

* * *

"Yield to the spirits, Bonnie!" Aja shouted. "You can't fight us!"

With her help, Bonnie had started the circle Silas needed. She laid on the ground in the circle struggling, her eyes white and nose bleeding. Stefan ran up frantically, fear in his eyes. "Stop! It's not what you think!"

Aja glared angrily at him. "This is no place for a vampire. And this world is not going to crumble beneath the hands of the Vasiles."

"She's working for Silas!" Stefan pleaded. "He brainwashed her to kill the Vasiles or even you!"

"Silas?" She breathed shakily. She shook her head and took out a dagger. "If Silas has her, she's lost. We can't save her."

"But you're already linked," came Riel's cry. She held her hands out at her sides, her own nose starting to bleed. The fire started to burn out of control, Riel's Moore magic counteracting both Aja and Bonnie. "I'm sorry, I won't let you take out the Vasiles. I can't." She shook her head furiously, chanting louder than the witches or spirits.

Carina came running up and grabbed Riel's right hand, feeling the powerful shock of the white haired girl channeling her. She struggled for a moment before standing tall and joining the chant. Caroline and Klaus ran onto the scene with Nessa speeding past them and taking Riel's left hand. "What are you doing?!" The blonde vampire cried.

"I _have_ to protect the Vasile family," Riel told her through grit teeth. Both sides of her nose started to bleed heavily. "And I'm sorry if that means taking out a bunch of the spirits and the last Bennett witch to do so!"

"I have the power of twelve witches!" Aja yelled. "You don't stand a chance!"

"They're linked," Stefan realized. "Bonnie will just kill the witches!"

"If Klaus' crazy witch doesn't kill Bonnie first!" Caroline shouted frantically. "If you hate the Vasiles so much, why are you making Riel do this?!"

Klaus stared with astonishment at the scene. "I didn't," he admitted, surprising them both. "She has Lucifer's bloody grimoire; she's doing this for him."

"We need to save Bonnie!" Caroline demanded.

"How? The only way to stop the witches is to kill them, and then Silas gets what he wants."

"Spirits!" Aja called. "Take her soul! Free her from darkness!"

Caroline watched the dagger be raised and held to Bonnie; she couldn't take it anymore. If Riel was protecting the Vasiles by helping the witch spirits try to kill Bonnie then it didn't matter if Silas got what he wanted. She sped into the circle and quickly reversed the blade into Aja's chest. The spirits and flames around them started to die off slowly, vanishing before their eyes. Caroline shook, standing in the middle of the circle still, but dropped quickly to check on Bonnie.

The witch was still clearly tranced, eyes still white. She smiled eerily, furthering Caroline's fear. "The triangle is complete. The Vasiles will not remain unscathed again. There will be blood."

Stefan stood frozen in his place. "The twelve witch spirits were used instead…"

As the three dropped their hands, Nessa whisked Riel off to safety before she fainted. Carina shrugged and looked icily at the young Salvatore. "I did not care who it was that had to die instead, so long as it was not _my_ family." She got up in Stefan's face threateningly. "Your Bennett witch will never be safe from us if she does not stop trying to aid Silas. I will watch the life fade from her eyes myself."

* * *

Nova clicked open the lock on the door to her New York City apartment, leading Elena and Damon inside. Damon tossed his jacket over the couch like he and Nova usually would, watching her back as she walked towards the kitchen without doing such a thing at all. As Elena looked at the photos all across the walls, Damon's eyes caught something on the counter - Nova's Firebird keys. Keys he made sure should have been in Mystic Falls still since he had both Nova and Elena in his own car.

"Nova," he started cautiously, "how exactly did your keys make it from Virginia to New York?" She turned slowly to face him, a smirk growing slowly and creepily across her mouth. His face paled. "Nova, what have you done…?"

"I'm so insulted that I was invited for this murder-cation," came Lethia's purr behind Damon. Both he and Elena whirled around to find the blonde hybrid blocking the front door. "Sorry it took so long to catch up; it's difficult to get away when you're spelled inside a house."

"Lethia," he breathed. "I thought Stefan had said something about your being grounded."

She shrugged, lips pulling back into a wolfish grin. "Riel really knows how to work magic when she's got the right grimoire. Sorry, _venas_ , Silas is after our family. It's personal now."

" _Te iubesc, iubițel_." Nova spoke softly, putting a hand on his shoulder gently. "And I would really like to be sorry for this because I do truly love you, but I know you are not in the same mindset as us. You aren't thinking with the facts. You're acting based on what you feel." He clenched his fists at his sides, unable to look at her. "I know you'll end up trying to cure Elena, or letting Rebekah have her happily ever after, or trying to cure me of this so-called disease."

"Nova, please-"

She ignored him and continued. "When I find Katerina, I'm going to rip the cure from her filthy hands before I sever them from her wrists." He unintentionally flinched. "I will decide on the way home if I'll ram the cure down Stefan or Silas' throat to kill either of them slowly. _Te iubesc, iubițel_."

Before Damon could even hope of getting another word out, Nova mercilessly snapped his neck and laid him across the leather couch. She pressed a gentle kiss on his forehead before grabbing her keys and walking out with the girls.

* * *

"Daciana," Elijah called as he made his way down the hall. "Sister, it's just me; I made our favorite tea. I hoped we could talk."

He came to Daciana's bedroom door, finding it partially ajar. He couldn't hear anyone inside, only the wind through the windows. Cautiously he pushed the door open, still hoping to find his sister. He truthfully should have known better, rather appalled at what he did find instead. His eyes widened with horror as he looked around the room, rather glad he hadn't brought the tea up to her.

Dripping across each wall were dozens, almost hundreds, of sigils painted in her own blood. Some was more dry than others, some still dripped with fresh blood. In the middle of the room was her altar all sprawled out. She had been in the middle of something, a ritual recently performed. His eyes made their way to her window which was wide open, the navy curtains flapping gently in the wind.

Elijah dared to make his way towards her bed where her journal laid open, pages flapping in the delicate wind as well. He stopped the pages with one hand, fearfully reading the horrific scrawl across the old pages. ' _God did this to us. But if God is real and he is just, why is the world so full of injustice? Killing must feel good to God too. He does it all the time.'_

With his hand starting to shake, Elijah turned the page. What he read nearly made him gasp. ' _He can give us justice.'_

Without another thought he called Klaus. "Niklaus, it seems Daciana is being tainted once again…"

Klaus groaned on the other end. "Wonderful. Let us just add it to the list then."

"What's happened to you?"

"Bloody Silas happened. He's looking for the cure. Got his third massacre. And now you're going to tell me our sister has unhinged."

Elijah sighed, looking around at Daciana's room. "We need to find Daciana and the remainder of the Vasile family. Quickly."

* * *

 **A/N 2:** To _Vickie Dillard1_ , I don't know if you'll see this, but thank you for your review on _Her Name is Alice_. It actually really made my heart ache and made me want to write it again. I can continue, I really could if I wanted to. Maybe I'll throw in a surprise for June/July, but I can't make any promises. Working on _Monster_ and _Devil in Me_ side by side is quite the project as is. But in the near future I will keep _Her Name is Alice_ going. It's not dead yet. Thank you for your constant support, all of you.

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan


	40. So Infatuated By the Darkness

40: So Infatuated By the Darkness.

The old Firebird finally stopped in Pennsylvania, pulling into a street parking space. The three women stepped out of the car with sunglasses and villainous grace. "How oblivious to vampires do you think this town is?" Lethia questioned as she looked around.

"Let's find out," Elena smirked. She spotted a girl walking towards her and grabbed her suddenly.

"Oh my God," she put a hand on her chest. "You startled me."

"Did I?" Her face started to change and she lunged for the strange girl.

"Katherine, what are you doing?"

Nova tipped her sunglasses down slowly as her two companions froze up. "You know Katherine?"

"Of course." She replied with disgust at the ravenette. "And I know that you're Nova Vasile." She turned back to 'Katherine' with a smile. "Most people around here prefer you to feed from the neck, but I asked you to drink from my wrist, remember?"

"The conniving little bitch compelled the whole town," Lethia sneered.

"How do you know me?" Elena questioned, pretending to be Katherine for the girl.

"Small town, everybody knows everybody."

"So everybody here knows Katherine?" asked the blonde.

The girl's face turned to confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about."

Nova chuckled a little, her arms crossed over her chest. "She compelled people to forget all about her unless she's talking to them herself. Clever bitch."

"Then why'd she know you?"

She shrugged and turned to the girl herself. "How do you know _me_ , girl?"

"Katherine said to be on the lookout for you. To let her know if we see you because if you're alive enough to tail her than you're alive enough for her to kill you now. But you're with her right now so I guess she already knows."

Her eyebrows raised high a smirk playing at her lips. Before she could do anything, Elena spoke again. "Do I come here often? Often enough for anything important?"

"If you think mail is important than sure," she laughed a little. "You said we could all be friends with you, as long as we kept your secret."

"What secret?"

"I-I don't know."

Elena rolled her eyes impatiently. "What do you know then?"

"I know I'm still super jealous of all the cool things you collected for your storage unit."

"We've got mail and a storage unit," Lethia pointed out as she leaned against the side of the car. "I'll go check out that storage unit."

Nova leaned up beside her best friend. "I suppose we'll head to the nearest post office then."

The blonde took out her phone from her back pocket and started tapping away before giving Nova an address. She tapped away once more, finding the company for the storage unit. With a wave, the hybrid was off in a flash. Nova and Elena got back in the car and took off to the post office.

"Hey, excuse me, um… Do I have any mail today?" the doppelganger asked a postman outside.

He gave her a strange look. "What happened to your hair?"

"I cut it."

"In the last two minutes?"

"Are you feeling okay Miss Pierce?"

"Yeah, I'm- I'm fine. Um, thanks." She retreated back to the passenger's seat of the Firebird. "She was here two minutes ago. That means that she can't be that far."

Nova's phone rang with Lethia's ID coming up on the screen. "What do you have, Thea?"

"A freaking gold mine," she replied with excitement. "Let me say, first of all, compulsion? A damn life saver. I got her file and locker number like nothing. This bitch has a mere fraction of the trinkets Kol had in his. But it looks the same - dark objects and the sort. Safe bet Zarya's bracelet would be in this hot mess."

"She's got a point," Elena pointed out after they hung up. "Why don't you go inside and compel your way around some answers? I'll check the area. She could have been on foot, even in those hideous heels."

The ravenette didn't mind the idea and made her way inside. Elena started walking around the perimeter when she could just about feel the bitch radiating off her ancestor. Before she could react, she was on the ground with Katherine smirking above her. "I'm impressed. I never thought you'd find me here." She picked her doppelganger up by the throat and slammed her against a van. "Oh, well. It's a beautiful place to die."

Katherine was ripped off of Elena suddenly and tossed to the ground in a similar way. Nova's black heel stepped on her chest, pinning her to the ground. "I couldn't agree more. You've chosen a beautiful place to die."

* * *

Klaus was growing feverish from the chunk of white oak in his back. He tried so desperately to remove it himself, but it was just out of his reach. Surprisingly, he didn't hear Lethia's footfalls as she entered the room. She let out a small gasp. "What happened to you?"

He let out a groan of pain. "Silas. He attacked me. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. A piece of it-is still inside me."

"Oh my god, Klaus, that could kill you."

He stopped for a second, looking warily at her. Something was out of place in her amber eyes. "Well, I certainly feel like I'm dying."

She knelt down before him, putting her hands soothingly on his face. She offered a smile, but it was a smile that was not her own. Nor was the voice that came from her lips no matter how velvety similar it sounded. "Hey. As much as I would love to watch you die, you still haven't found me that cure."

Klaus growled and pushed 'her' away, jumping to his feet. "Silas!"

'She' let out a twisted laugh as 'she' rose to 'her' feet. "That's right. Last night I looked like Shane, today I look like Lethia, and tomorrow-who knows? I can look like anyone I want to at any time. Perhaps Zina Vasile. Her face must be etched into that skull of yours well."

"Don't you dare use Lethia Kross for your sick games. Show me your real face."

"Now why would I do that when I can look like whomever I want you to see? Resist me all you want, Klaus, but until you bring me the cure I will bring you nothing but misery."

"You think seeing Zina Vasile's face will bring me misery?" He laughed sarcastically. "Show her to me bloody and torn apart all over again. The Vasiles are menaces. What do you even want the bloody cure?"

"I made the mistake of trusting a Vasile once. Saskia Vasile. I knew without her telling me what she was; a nephilim. An archangel's nephilim. And she took advantage of my supposed cluelessness. I hadn't known the father of her children she gave up was the biblical Cain, or that the archangel in question was Lucifer's charge. I never would have given her immortality then. But I knew about the hit out on all nephilim from Michael. Her life is well past extended and grown out of hand. It is high time the Vasile line ends once and for all."

* * *

The doppelgangers and the Vasile sat in a booth in a little diner. Not one of the three looked pleased to be where they were. "Where's the cure?" Elena started simply.

"What? No "I'm here to avenge my annoying little brother" speech?"

"People die. We move on." She sipped boredly from her mug of coffee.

Katherine started to look between the two across from her. There was a lack of light in both of their eyes. She focused first on Elena. "After turning off our humanity switch. So sad for the boys, though. Their special snowflake of human frailty...gone. Well, if we're gonna be awhile, I'm gonna go grab some menus."

As soon as she tried to move, Nova stabbed her hand down with a fork. "You're not going anywhere."

She moaned a little in pain, sitting back down. Her dark eyes locked with the Romanian's emerald ones. Something in them made her skin crawl. Nova had shut her humanity off as well. Again. "I wonder how many times you Vasiles can shut it off before you can't come back ever again," she hissed, trying to ignore the fear creeping in.

Nova leaned forward on her elbows with a smirk. "I don't intend on coming back ever again so I don't care."

"Where's the cure?" Elena tried again.

"Why do you two want it anyway?"

The two doppelgangers started to go back and forth. Nova's head began to throb as she listened to their voices. She'd grown to despise Katherine Pierce and her stupid face, which had made it all the worse when Elena became her progeny. She looked around the diner and found it to be not packed at all. Aside from them in a corner there were only a few other people scattered about. She reached down into her bag and took out her vial of coke and credit card. Ignoring everything and everyone around her, Nova poured some of the white powder onto the table and shifted it around with the card before quickly snorting it all back. When she looked up, Katherine stared at her with horror and disgust on her face.

"And here I thought it was only a rumor that you were a junkie. Wouldn't being human help you feel that high?"

"Shove it," she rolled her eyes. "I need a hell of a lot more than just that to be sitting with two of the face I haven't been able to stand for over a century." She cleared her nose with another quick sniff. "And we don't want the cure for ourselves at all. Silas is a pretty fair candidate for the cure for obvious reasons. I've contemplated shoving it down Stefan's throat but he might enjoy it too much and where's the fun in that when he hates himself as a vampire? Daciana could be an option since Klaus could have unboxed her years ago but chose not to so it's safe to say she's defective somehow."

Katherine's eyes widened when she heard Daciana's name. "Daciana? Like Daciana Mikaelson?"

"Yeah, and if you're already shaking in your heels from that then enjoy this - Mikaelson isn't her real name. She's part of my family. A Vasile who ran from the family. She's the daughter of fucking Cain, would you believe it?"

They could see that Katherine was visibly shaken by Daciana. She wanted to get up, but didn't care to have another fork in her other hand. "You need to find a way to put Daciana down. But the cure won't do it." She was shoved from the middle of the seat all the way to the side suddenly, the blonde hybrid sliding in beside her.

"Oh, she's on the list," Lethia commented as she started checking Katherine's pockets.

"Why are you seemingly more afraid of Daciana than her brother who's hunted you for centuries?" Elena asked. The blonde grinned when she snagged Katherine's phone and tossed it to Elena.

"I met Daciana first when I was exiled to England," Katherine begrudgingly admitted. "She helped me get a little countryside home and invited me to the party I met Klaus and Elijah at. She comes off sweet, but she's worse than all of the Mikaelsons put together. Klaus may have wanted to sacrifice me to break a curse, but Daciana… she would speak to someone who was never there. Speak in tongues, usually. A language I've never heard before. To this day. She was _psychotic._ Luring people in with her smile and charm before she'd tear them to pieces. In public too. She would maliciously feed without a care to who saw because they were just next on her list. She only did as Klaus told her. No one else. And even then sometimes he could barely reel her in.  
"I avoided her first and foremost. When she came to me to help me escape I knew she was up to no good but I took it and ran. All I did was give her the opportunity to put a hit out on my life. When I fled to Rose, Daciana had found me just after I turned. Pointed her stupid sword at me. I saw the sigil engraved on it; I wanted to know what gave her her twisted and monstrous power. I found the sigil later in life - Lucifer's sigil. Turned out she went on a rampage after, killing 66 humans and vampires before a faction of Moores put her down."

Nova rolled her eyes, clearly bored by the tale Katherine wove as she scrolled through her rival's phone. "Then it's a high chance Daciana was chit-chatting with Lucifer." She shrugged. "We're actually trying to help out his mate who has him running copilot in her head with her. Who's 'EM'?" She held up the screen, showing the appointment.

The older vampire scowled. "...a friend."

Elena grabbed the phone and looked at the event herself. "It says here you're meeting at two." When Katherine didn't say anything, she smirked. "I guess I'll just have to meet "em" myself."

* * *

"Klaus!" Riel called as she rushed into the hybrid's mansion. "I got your fifty bajillion messages. This better be life and death."

When she finally found him, she gasped at the sight. He looked up warily and hesitantly at the blue haired witch. "Is it really you..? Silas. He stabbed me with the white oak stake."

"Silas?" the witch's ears perked up with panic. She tossed her bag onto the floor and slammed the living room doors shut. "Give me five minutes," she muttered, digging around in her bag. She took out black chalk, drawing sigils in as many places as she could. Next was the salt around the doors and windows before she could finally turn to him. "Alright, not even Silas can get into this room right now. What happened?"

"There's a- a piece of it, the white oak, stuck inside me."

"Why would Silas attack you?"

"Well, I was in no position to ask questions. Suffice it to say, I'm hurt. So you can understand why I called you."

"For the love of L-" Riel quickly caught herself when she saw the dangerous look flashing across the Original's face. The archangel's name was taboo to him.

"Don't you dare speak that monster's name in my presence," he snarled. "I need you to cut the stake out of me."

She made a face before grabbing the already bloody pliers off the floor. Klaus had himself braced over the piano. "Where's Lethia?" she questioned quietly as her steady hand slowly reached for the stake tip.

He gave a small scoff. "She shut her humanity off the second she awoke and took off after Nova and Elena once you set her free from the boarding house."

Her eyes widened a little. "H-her humanity is off? What about Nova and-" She stopped suddenly, something not feeling right. Her blue eyes wandered up slowly to the sigils around the room. They started to glow and glimmer, meaning they were currently in action. "That's not right…"

"What the bloody hell is going on, Auriel?" She ran over to her bag and retrieved the old, black grimoire. "Get that bloody thing out of my home and away from me."

She waved him off as she flipped through the pages. "Sorry, Klaus, you're going to have to get over it for five minutes." She set the book down on a table and started chanting in a language not even Klaus recognized. When she was done, he no longer felt the pain of the white oak. "That sick fuck," she muttered.

"What is it? What did you do with that God awful book to me?"

"There was never a chunk of white oak in you, Klaus. Silas just made you think it was. All that spell did was break his illusion. If Silas can do that to you, what do you think he can do to the rest of us?"

Klaus looked at the blue haired girl sternly and coldly. "And what exactly do you think bloody Lucifer getting into your head can do?"

* * *

[Flashback, 1351]

Klaus walked down the hall towards Daciana's room slowly, cautiously. He could hear her speaking to someone who didn't seem to answer. Someone who couldn't have possibly been there. He couldn't even understand what it was she was saying. Some words came off Hebrew, some Arabic, some he couldn't even pinpoint. He made his way to her door that was half open, giving him enough of a view. Daciana was knelt on the floor at some sort of altar. In the middle sat a bird's black feather that she seemed to put her energy on. She had started to give up, but whoever she thought she was talking to seemed to convince her to try again.

Daciana sighed and held her hands out like she was a witch practicing magic. Klaus nearly intervened when the feather actually moved. It swayed a bit at first before rising an inch. He kept his eyes fixated on his sister as quietly as he could be. The flames on the candles around the room began to become erratic. Daciana was gritting her teeth with struggle.

"I can't do it," she heaved at last in her native Lithuanian. Finally, something Klaus understood. The feather fell back onto the altar and she hung her head in shame.

He stepped into the room at last, half surprising her. "What can't you do, sweetheart? No vampire can do magic." She looked away from him, not answering. "Alright, then who have you been speaking to? I notice things, Daciana. You can talk to me."

Her face seemed to light up a little. "I can speak to an angel," she admitted with a sense of pride. "An angel who can give us justice. Justice against the Vasiles, and against Mikael."

"Does this angel perhaps have a name?"

"An archangel. With blue eyes and golden grace. His name is Lucifer." Klaus' eyes widened a little, having heard the biblical rumors. "I have been able to communicate with him since before I left Lithuania." She jumped to her feet and took her brother's hands when she saw the concern growing on his countenance. "Brother, please! It was God who wronged Lucifer. He chose a favorite and then told Lucifer to bow before humanity. We do not even bow to humanity, brother. Why would an archangel?"

"And this archangel, he just started talking to you?"

"I tried for a long time for God to hear me. When I gave up I heard Lucifer. He told me I am special. That even as a vampire it is in my blood to manipulate certain elements. Fire, Water, Air, Earth. I've tried everything else and get no reaction, but turning has amplified the small effect I seemed to have trying Air. I think I can do it, Niklaus. At least, I hope I can."

He looked around at the altar, then to the black grimoire beside it. Something about the book screamed horrific things at him. He looked back to his sister's gleaming emerald eyes and recalled how it was her to help him deal with Hunter's Curse. The hope she held in the magnificent emerald made him smile. "Sometimes with witch magic they have to channel one another for strength." He held his hand out to her. "Perhaps you can siphon something useful with me."

Daciana was hesitant, holding her hand to her chest while she thought. That was when a chill ran down her spine and she could feel _him_ again. " _Mokiri hadha._ "

She smiled, something washing over her, before taking her brother's hand in her own. There was an icy jolt of electricity as soon as their skin touched and her eyes ignited a bright garnet red. Daciana could feel a new source of power charging what she needed. She turned slowly back to her altar and held her hand out. Klaus watched with his own eyes as the feather floated gracefully into the air and into his sister's hand.

* * *

[Present]

"How the hell did this happen, Damon?" Stefan chastised when he finally reached Nova's New York apartment his brother had been left at. "And what are you still doing here? It wasn't that difficult to track Nova's Firebird to Willoughby, Pennsylvania."

Damon had been staring at one of the many pictures on the living room wall. "Something's not right. Nova's different than either of the last times she shut off her humanity and Katherine Pierce does not hole up in Hickstown, P-A."

"What do you mean? And what's it mean for Elena?"

"It means we're boned, Stefan. Nova isn't going to just let Elena go and now they've got hybrid and no humanity Lethia with them. She was the one that brought the Firebird up here and gave them their escape vehicle."

"What are we supposed to do against that, Damon? The Vasile line is already a juiced up bloodline and Nova is God only knows what right now. How different is she from before?"

He finally looked to his brother with deadly serious eyes. "Take whatever rulebook or assumptions you had before and throw them out the window. We're gonna have to do whatever is necessary for those three."

"What's that mean, coming out of your mouth? You're talking about the greatest love of your life and her best friend that's now Klaus' hybrid?"

"It doesn't matter," Damon shook his head. "They've all gone dark side. It's free game now."

They were quiet before Stefan let out a sigh. "There's a lot of mutilated bodies piling up across the highway."

"Well, don't count Elena out of that mess. She's part of the Murder Squad now."

"Why the hell are they doing this?"

"To keep the cure away? I don't know, Stefan. I don't know what the hell could possibly be running through Nova's head anymore. I know it's her life's goal to tear Katherine apart."

"What about the sire bond? At least between Lethia and Klaus?"

Damon laughed sardonically. "Seriously? A Kross wolf who can already turn as she pleases sired to someone? It was Vasile _and_ Klaus' blood to turn her. There is no sire bond anywhere anymore, Stefan."

They made their way to the door, but Stefan looked back at the photo curiously first. Nova was held in Damon's arms, wearing a long and flowy black dress with red roses decorated all over it. They both looked happier than he'd seen in a long time. When the brothers hit the road, Damon called Klaus. The hybrid laughed a little when he answered the call. "Safe to say my little wolf made her way out to you, mate?"

"She's not exactly a wolf anymore, Klaus," Damon quipped back. "She drove Nova's car up to New York and made off with her and Elena after Nova snapped my neck. What the hell happened to Daciana? What was so horrible that you delayed bringing her back and still has you shaking in your boots?"

"What the bloody hell does Daciana have to do with Lethia derailing? That's entirely on Nova and your not so innocent Elena."

"Oh it's got plenty to do with everything. It's that damn Vasile blood and you know it, Klaus. They descend from angel blood and I'm guessing not so good angel blood. So what the hell do you know about the angels and what's wrong with Daciana?"

Klaus was silent for a long minute before sighing. "I don't know a lot about angels in general. I know a handful of rumors of the angels that began the Vasile line. Daciana used to speak to one for some time - Lucifer."

* * *

Elena tossed her bag back on the seat when she returned from the bathroom in an attempt to look more like Katherine. "What do you think?"

Lethia made a face first. "Hmm, it's close. Not quite slutty enough. I think you need more eyeliner."

"I'm gonna need your clothes." Elena shrugged at her ancestor.

She rolled her eyes and sarcastically replied, "Yeah, that's gonna happen." After some heckling, she finally handed over her jewelry that wasn't her daylight bracelet and jacket. "This will never work, you know. The bad haircut, the doe eyes. You'll never pass for me."

Elena pulled her face into a sneer and mimicked Katherine's tone. "You'll never pass for me."

"Throatier," Nova commented. "More mannish." She smirked at the older brunette.

"You'll never pass for me," she tried again.

The ravenette shrugged. "It's almost there, but something else is missing." She tapped her chin thoughtfully before looking under the table and smirking. "Ah, there it is - those Gods awful shoes."

"Get bent, Vasile," Katherine hissed back.

"I could shove those hideous heels up your ass instead if you preferred, Bulgarian _curva._ "

She grit her teeth before kicking off the shoes and passing them to Elena. She never took her eyes off the ravenette. "You know, something just isn't right with you. Humanity off or not, you're not the same you. You sure the devil isn't riding shotgun in _your_ noggin? Where even is Damon?"

"Pretty positive it's just me up here currently. I've personally only spoken with him once. He isn't exactly my cup of tea. As for Damon, I snapped his neck and left him on the couch of my apartment in New York City." She shrugged.

Katherine froze up stiffly. She was surprised, but there was an underlying fear there. She truly did not like what she saw in Nova Vasile's eyes. "So is this the big, bad SuperNova finally get her revenge for her beloved looking for me all those years ago?"

"No, actually. I'm just on a warpath to unite the Vasiles once and for all. I have no issue removing those of blood who don't yield to me. I look forward to ripping out the heart of my greatest enemy who has the cure to vampirism hidden away. That just so happens to be something that can unfortunately be used against me."

"Sorry to disappoint but I haven't got a heart for you to rip out."

"Then I guess we're just going to have to rip you to shreds if we crack open your chest and only find coal," Lethia grinned, baring her fangs and golden eyes.

"And if, on the off chance," Nova added, "that there is a heart in there, I am going to enjoy each second I spend eating it." She smirked and her eyes flashed violet, finally instilling true fear into Katherine.

* * *

[Flashback, 1359]

" _I have noticed a difference in my siblings. Our bond strains beneath the pressure of our life as vampires. Each day removes them further from the humanity we once possessed."_

Elijah walked through his family's home, stepping through a vast pile of bodies. Rebekah finished off temporary lover before tossing him aside onto the floor. Klaus was painting away with a new, magnificent red he had found with splattered blood.

" _My sweet sister Rebekah has grown quite indifferent to brutality, reveling in it with Niklaus and Daciana. However, the true problem remains my brother Niklaus; he continues to hide his loneliness with cruelty, a feat he shares with Daciana."_

"What have you two been doing?" He questioned with concern. "And where is Daciana?"

Rebekah leapt to her feet with blood still dripping down her chin. "What do you mean? Daciana was just here with us. More than half of this is hers."

The oldest Mikaelson in the room turned his eyes to Klaus who had remained quiet. "What is it you know, Niklaus?"

" _I believe he knows who it is she seems to speak to, whatever entity it may be. What Niklaus knows is what has driven him to almost madness."_

Still Klaus did not respond. He stared at the painting he had been working so furiously on to see the sister in question. Only, she stared back at him with glowing garnet eyes and blood dripping from the sick smile on her face. In her hand was a blood soaked floating feather. "I thought she was fine," he finally spoke just above a whisper. "I thought she was gaining a great power, finally feeling vindicated after all she'd endured." He grasped the wooden brush so hard he snapped it. "Turned out the Devil offered her something more horrifying than the lies of her life."

" _Still, I cling to the hope that I, as their eldest brother, can lead them down the correct path, a path charged with the power of a family united."_

"Daciana!" Rebekah called. She held her dress above the corpses as she ran about the castle in search of her sister. She ran up the stairs and both brothers followed suit.

"Rebekah, stop!" Klaus called to her. "Do not go near her room!"

Daciana's bedroom door at the end of the hall whipped open, slamming into the wall behind it. Blood poured out of the room and extended down the hall, covering the floors.

" _For if I fail, our family's legacy will end in darkness."_

The one maid remaining on the floor followed the mess to check it out with horror in her eyes. Klaus yelled for her not to but it was too late. As the woman made it past the threshold she stopped. Her body froze as if all of the air had been sucked from her lungs, staring wide eyed at the three Mikaelsons. The basket in her hand fell to the floor. They could literally see the air being choked out of her from nowhere. Her face and lips slowly turned blue. After so long her eyes, nose, and ears began to bleed. After a few minutes of that she finally dropped to the floor, completely lifeless. Klaus held his arms out to prevent his brother and sister from passing through, backing them up slowly. As the blood continued to trickle from Daciana's room and the maid it formed a symbol. Lucifer's sigil.

* * *

[Present]

Nova looked to Lethia with curiosity. "Did you find what we were looking for?"

The blonde started to laugh and dug around in her jacket pocket. "I almost forgot. Leave it to me."

Katherine glared at the two of them. "What are you up to? What did you find?"

"You see recently I met a young, human woman by the name of Zarya Deighton. She's the one with Lucifer riding shotgun because she's on the hunt for the truth about her family."

Under the table, Lethia toyed with the object she removed from her pocket. "And with my connections on the Dark Web, I got some answers for her that we need to deliver."

"Zarya's father was born in Mystic Falls it turns out. Met mommy dearest at Whitmore. They eloped and started fresh because they had a daughter young. In May of 1996 there was horrific car accident that killed an entire family of family. Father, mother, six year old daughter. But then the little girl came to."

"What a miracle," Katherine tried to brush it off as her leg bounced across the other with anxiety.

"I was able to find two sets of records," Lethia explained. "Because the ones she grew up knowing were nothing but forgery. When she came to she started babbling about seeing someone in the road the caused her father to veer off the bridge and a blue eyed angel that brought her back to life. They were gonna put her in the psych ward until she was suddenly perfectly normal. Then they changed all the documents."

"The girl is really Zarya Vasile," Nova told her darkly. "But you already knew that, didn't you? She was adopted in secret for protection by the Deightons because the accident had been a hit on the family for being Vasiles. Siya and Zarya were human Vasiles."

"What's any of that got to do with me? Why would I know anything?"

"Because you're the one who ran them off the bridge and snatched up Zarya's bracelet when it came floating up in the water."

"So what if I did? I'm not the only one trying to get rid of you damn Vasiles. I was just doing whoever's in charge a favor. What could you possibly want with some stupid bracelet?"

Lethia's eyes ignited gold for a moment. "Take it and get out of here," she told the ravenette as she hastily passed her the bracelet.

"What's going on, Thea?"

"I can hear the Camaro's engine. I know it just as well as ours. Seems your sweetheart has more of a lead foot than we thought." Nova snatched up the bracelet and sped off out the back of the diner. Lethia grinned when she was left alone with Katherine.

The brunette glared at her, still forced to sit beside her. "So do I get to know what was so important you went through my collectables for little Zarya's stupid bracelet?"

"Turns out the kid is special, and with her bracelet, Nov's, and Zina's, they're gonna do something fucking insane."

"Ladies," came Stefan as he and Damon entered the diner, "playing nice?"

Katherine rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "There goes the neighborhood."

The brothers slid into the booth and Damon looked right to the blonde. "Where's Nova?"

"You just missed her," Katherine instead replied. "She made off with Zarya Vasile's bracelet to who knows where."

Before either brother could speak, Lethia did. "Turns out chatty Katty here was the one to run Zarya's family off a bridge in 1996."

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then where's Elena?"

* * *

"You're both idiots," Elena commented when Elijah got off the phone with Stefan.

His brows raised. "Excuse me?"

"Ugh. What happened to you, Elijah? I mean, I thought you were supposed to be a man of honor, and yet you've been hooking up with Katherine this entire time?"

"Well, I suppose this man of honor always shared a connection with Katherine. She contacted me when she learned about the cure. We thought we could be of mutual use to one another."

"'Of mutual use'?" She laughed. "Please. You fell for her trap just like every other one of those idiots."

"You underestimate me, Elena. I know who she is. I know what she's done."

"And you think she's changed? She's playing you. She lied to you, Elijah."

"She didn't lie to me about your transformation. You're not just a vampire, though, are you?" She shrugged. "There's something else. You… you're not yourself."

"She was turned by a Vasile, did Katerina leave that out?"

Elijah spun around to find Nova having joined them. He nearly shivered when he saw a darkness in her emerald eyes not unlike the one that haunted Daciana's for so long. "You've abandoned your emotions. Both of you. Why?"

"My brother is dead," Elena replied spitefully. "Your girlfriend killed him."

When she saw the shock cross the Original's face, Nova laughed a little. "You didn't know?" She scoffed. "Of course you didn't. Wonder what else she conveniently left out? Perhaps my upgrade from drinking the final vial of Saskia Vasile's nephilim blood?"

"Nova, I deeply beg that you stop whatever it is that you're doing. This path you're on, that blood you drank… it is unhealthy. Do not end up even worse than Daciana."

"What ever happened to Daciana anyways?" Elena asked boredly but curiously. "What was it that drove her so psycho?"

"It was the archangel Lucifer. She relied on him too deeply. His influence, his guidance, the mere flicker of his Grace. When Daciana became an Original vampire it amplified everything she already felt. She felt compelled to open this Cage she said he was trapped in."

Nova's maroon lips pulled into a twisted grin as she held ou Zarya's bracelet. "Zarya Deighton is really a Vasile. She called earlier, needing some help from us. She's actually running with the devil for a copilot right now if you didn't know. Turns out it only takes three of our bracelets, one just has to be hers because she's apparently his mate or whatever," she rolled her eyes, "and Rem's Stone and that lock will just crumble. Maybe you want to pass the know how onto Daciana so she'll take a chill pill and help us."

Elijah was mortified. Releasing Lucifer by completely obliterating the lock on his Cage? "No," he shook his head and stepped away from both girls. "No, none of you are opening that door. Lucifer cannot be released. Daciana will have no involvement nor will she be playing with any angels."

"What about demons? Like the one that killed Thea and forced her to become one of your brother's hybrids using mine and Daciana's blood with dark magic? Wonder how she came across some magic and mojo like that."

"That's quite enough, Nova. Saskia's blood is only corrupting you."

"Oh I'm sure it is. She was, after all, Cain's first wife and Daciana's birth mother."

* * *

"No sudden moves," Damon warned. "No tricks either. No Katherine-ing."

Lethia rolled her eyes as the three entered Katherine's little house in Pennsylvania. "Do nursing homes take pictures of this place for their brochures?"

Katherine sneered and flipped the blonde off. Damon resisted the urge to smirk. "Wow. A quilt and a fish aquarium. Who the hell are you?"

"A very old lady with horrendous taste," the hybrid replied. While the doppelganger went searching in a safe on her shelf, Lethia looked to Damon with a sly smirk. "I must say, you made it across a few states in record time. Surprised the engine on that old car can take it."

He half glared at her with a sarcastic smile. "Well it wasn't that much of an issue to speed when I was already pissed off. And I'll have you know, Steffie is obsessed with keeping our cars in mint condition. He'd love the chance to work on Nova's, if she wouldn't break his fingers for touching her car. I don't mind the mechanic. Saves me trouble."

"It's gone," Katherine announced. "The cure, it was in the safe, but it's not there."

While the two older vampires in the room went back and forth, Lethia found that she couldn't take her eyes off the Gods awful fish tank in the center of the room. Who the hell kept a fish tank and no fish? As the two bickered she made her way closer to the tank. The scent of vervain scorched her nostrils in a quick burst. She wrinkled her nose with disgust, still eyeballing the tank. Well there was no way she was going to do anything to actually try it and go digging around in the fishless tank. With a shrug she walked away and started poking at some of the trinkets around the home.

"Tacky fish tank with no fish reeks of vervain," she interrupted the duo with a tone of pure boredom.

Damon's eye nearly twitched. "Did you check it out at all?"

"Nope."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why not?"

"It's too obvious. And this isn't much of my problem. I actually have something else I'd like to get back to. If you want to scold your hand off then be my guest."

Katherine crossed her arms, believing the Salvatore wouldn't call her bluff. Without looking away from the hybrid's eyes Damon rolled up his sleeve and put his hand right in the tank. A grin started to spread across Lethia's face while he checked through the tank's objects. "Now isn't that just interesting."

* * *

"I know what it feels like to lose a brother," Elijah started off cautiously, his eyes darting between the two younger vampires. "And I'm sorry for your pain. I… I only hope that you can find your way back to yourself someday. What I don't understand," he looked to just Nova, "is why _you_? You had just come back from the edge and now you take Lethia and Elena with you. Why?"

Nova's face was cold and unforgiving. "Jeremy was my friend too. Just another thing Katherine Pierce has taken from me."

"No, it's more than that. You may not think so, but I know you fairly well, Nova."

"Oh yeah? Then what is it? What finally was the straw to break the camel's back? Perhaps Niklaus, who tried to compel me and force my hand in marriage. Oh! Or maybe even hell raiser Kol who found and exploited the one stupid plant that can hurt me that even I didn't know of _and then_ compelling me to go for Jeremy's life. No, maybe it's when I was on some pathetic island in no man's land that I got a voicemail from Tyler fucking Lockwood about my best friend being impaled by a fucking _demon_. There's just so many options to choose from I suppose."

Elijah was silent for a long moment, genuinely taking in the things she said to him. "You have had an unfair, predetermined start to your life, Nova. But flipping the switch on your humanity is not the way to deal with it. You come from a bloodline of greatness however one wants to see it. Vervain and wolf venom does not harm you yet Deadly Nightshade which would kill any other subdues you. You were already exceptional, Nova."

"All thanks to a little angel blood deep in the roots," she hissed back. "You think I didn't already know I was a freak when I touched fucking nightshade and it barely gave me hives when I was human? Was I ever really human? Was any Vasile?"

"You will find the truth and path back to yourself one day, Nova."

Elena scoffed. "Yeah, that hope and prayer worked so well for Daciana, didn't it? I wonder if that's why you put yourself so far up Katherine's ass - in the hopes of getting the cure for Daciana."

Nova's eyes were darkening slowly. "You still think that innocent girl you saved from Klaus ages ago is in there somewhere? Hate to break it to you, but Daciana was never innocent. She is Cain and Saskia Vasile's daughter. The very first cursed twins ever born. Nothing is going to bring either of them back."

"And what exactly will releasing Lucifer do for you?" He snapped back. "He was put in a cage for a reason."

"Lucifer can give me the truth," she argued. "He can give all of us the truth. Truth and justice. He was there from the beginning, he knows _something_. With him free everything can come together. The clan can be whole again without fear of persecution. No longer hiding in the shadows, pretending the Vasile name doesn't exist. You either fight for the Vasiles, or you are our enemy. That goes for Silas, Katherine, and the Mikaelsons alike. If you won't bend the knee to your queen then we'll end you where you stand."

She turned on her heel to walk away from both of them. Elijah took a step as if meant to stop her, but Elena cut him off. It allowed Nova to vanish without a trace. The Original looked down at Elena with a hint of sorrow. "It'd be a shame if the world lost a soul as compassionate as yours."

Elena stared up at him with bored brown eyes. "'Your compassion is a gift, Elena. Carry it with you always and forever.' I remember reading that in a letter once."

"Well, the writer sounds positively gifted. I'm sure he meant what he wrote."

"I'm sure he did. And it felt good to watch that letter burn, along with my old life and along with Jeremy's body."

* * *

"We got your bracelet," came Nova spoke boredly into her phone. "And I know who tried to off you as a child and only succeeded in killing your parents."

Zarya sweatdropped a little at how brash Nova really was on the other line. "So I was right then - I did see someone in the road. I was compelled to forget it all."

"Can't say that's surprising. According to buried hospital records you were rambling your fool head off about seeing a person, possibly a woman, in the middle of the road and some blue eyed angel that saved you for the first few days and then boom, perfectly normal with a whole new family and name. I don't know who compelled you but I know Katherine Pierce ran your parents' car off the road that night."

The youngest Vasile was quiet for a long while. "That's fine," she finally spoke. "We have the bracelets and I know the truth."

"Truth doesn't end there, kiddo. Thea dug up a good load on the Dark Web. When we meet up I'll trade you."

"Nova, can I… can I ask why you're helping me break Lucifer free? What's going on in Mystic Falls?"

That time Nova was the one offering silence. "I lost someone quite dear to me recently. Another person Katherine Piece ruined for me."

"Damn, you guys really have had it out for a long time. Why are you going after the cure? To use it on her?"

"The cure is a threat to our family. To be honest, you would be a lot safer as a vampire, Zarya. It's a mad world out there that you're trying to play hunter in. You know where hunters end up, don't you?"

"Dead on the job, yeah. Dean was sure to grill that into me. And my being a hunter is one of the many reasons why I just can't become a vamp, Nova."

"Maybe the beasts you rid the Earth of. I've come across a few in my time. We referred to them as _strigoi_ back in Romania. I used to slay them for sport. But the Vasile vampires were born of the Original's bloodlines. We're honestly our own breed, in a way or two. To be born a Vasile and turned by one? You would be unstoppable, Zarya. Humor me and at least consider the idea. Have an honest answer by time we meet."

She sighed on the other line. "I'll consider it, because of all you've done and are willing to do, but my answer is going to be no after I have Nova. I'm sorry. Can you make it to Kansas? Lawrence specifically?"

"Something special for you out there, Dorothy?"

"Stull Cemetery. It's kind of… it's just a good spot. I know I can open the door to the Pit there."

"You've got some guts, kiddo. Last I heard, Kansas is the Winchester's stomping ground. It was a long ride from New York to Pennsylvania; we've done our research."

"Don't worry about the Winchesters. I'm flying under their radar right now myself. If we can keep it that way and not draw attention we won't have any issues." She hesitated for a moment and Nova could hear it. "Besides, they're typically holed up in Lebanon if they're not on a job."

"Yeah, whatever. Lawrence, Kansas. I should make it there in like a day, give or take. Depends on if I stop to check out the locals." She smirked.

"And more reasons why I'm okay with being human. See you, Nova."

The call ended and Nova pulled up her map on it, checking the distance to this Stull Cemetery. She nearly made it to her car when she felt she was no longer alone. "Found little Zarya's bracelet, did you," came a thick French accent behind her.

Nova turned and cut her eyes at Carina. "Thought you've been off the grid away from all the family drama for the last century."

Carina laughed, her eyes turning entirely black. "Carina's not home right now. Name's Abaddon; the last Knight of Hell trying to secure Lucifer's spot on the throne instead of that hack crossroads demon Crowley."

Nova's face wrinkled with spite and disgust. "My best friend was killed by a demon with an angel blade recently. Safe to say your kind has it out for mine. I'm not getting involved in demon business."

"I assure you we have a common goal, Nova," Abaddon purred. "I've met Zarya a couple of times. Such a sweet child. Lucifer needs her. With Saskia making her presence known and Dean Winchester taking the Mark of Cain, it's havoc. Taking the Mark tied him to Saskia and he doesn't even know it yet."

"So why the hell are you blubbering to me? Inside of Carina no less. Shouldn't you be preaching to Zarya?"

"Carina was convenient. I had things I needed to get done. It's pertinent for you to have this information when you're trying to be queen of the clan and raise Lucifer. Now, we really must get going if we're going to make it to Kansas."

* * *

"Wait."

Elijah stopped and turned to Katherine with an unreadable expression. "What do you want?"

"To tell you that you're right. I've spent so much time running and lying just to survive that I don't- I'm starting to believe my own lies. I don't even remember who I was when we first met. And I want to find out." She reached into her purse and took out a small box.

His eyebrows raised. "You have the cure."

"Yeah. And I can shove this down Klaus' throat and try to kill him, but even if I manage to do it...I'd lose you. And I don't want that to happen."

"How do I know this isn't another lie? Katherine Pierce deceiving yet another man."

Katherine took his hand and put the box into it, holding hers over it for a moment. : Because I meant what I said about my feelings for you. And I'd like to think that you feel something for me, too. I need you to trust me. I want you to trust me… Just like I'm trusting you. You don't owe me anything. I'm gonna let you decide where we go from here."

She walked away, leaving Elijah alone in the street. He opened the box and looked at the cure laying inside before closing the box. Behind him a short distance, Daciana's heels hit the pavement when she jumped off the hood of a parked car. Elijah actually jumped, having not noticed her there. "How long had you been there, sister?"

"You should have assumed that I would have been tailing you, Elijah. And I thought you were the smart brother."

"You don't have a smart brother. It turns out I'm just as stupid as the rest of you."

"Why don't you just give me the cure so I can judge you silently elsewhere?"

He cut his eyes at her, taking a step backwards. "And what could you possibly want with the cure? It's no secret you don't wish to use it for yourself."

"Had you and the others voted whether or not you would try shoving it down my throat yet?" She quipped back.

Elijah held tightly to the box. "Do you know what's happened to Nova? And in turn Elena and Lethia?"

"What are you going on about, brother?"

"So you don't know? The three shut their humanities off. They… they're insistent on releasing Lucifer."

Daciana's eyes widened massively. "Has she spoken to him then? Any one of them perhaps? No, it would be Nova, surely. Has she, brother?"

"I don't believe so but apparently another descendant of yours, the only human left to your line, has willingly allowed him access alongside her. Regardless of being in Hell he's in her head. Zarya Deighton-Vasile I believe was her name." The two were silent for a while, slowly circling one another. "I found your altar as well, Daciana. We are concerned you will fall right back into the habit. Into his darkness."

Daciana laughed loudly. "Concerned? About me? Please, brother. How concerned were each of you as we lived a better portion of our immortal lives in boxes? It was different for me, you know. Oh I would have rathered having been stuck with a dagger. I could still hear and feel everything. _Everything,_ Elijah. For a long while Lucifer remained by my side still, reminding me each day that that box was my Cage. He tried to help me fight through the spell, but eventually starvation got the best of me. I had to see if he could still hear me, Elijah. I needed to know he was still there. But not even Lucifer answered me this time because my own siblings let me rot."

"Were you ever going to tell us where you came from? What secrets and burdens you took with you?"

"I did tell you about the Vasiles I was raised under in Lithuania."

"But they were not real Vasiles and you know that. I want to know about your blood family. Your real mother and father."

Daciana was visibly growing angry. She was about to snap back with something when Elijah's phone started to ring. He held his hand up to his sister so he could answer Klaus. "What do you want, Niklaus?"

"An update on our search for the elusive cure and sister Daciana," came his reply over the speaker.

"Let's just say that things have gotten complicated. Perhaps you'd like to talk to one of the complications."

She took the device from his outstretched hand with half a scowl. "Hello, Niklaus. You're just going to have to allow me to do what it is I need to do."

"Yes, and I assume that comes with a long list of demands that I have no intention on even listening to."

"I'm not taking the cure if that's what you were hoping for. It wouldn't do anything anyways."

"Why don't you both come home then. We'll settle this like family. Unless you no longer consider us family, that is, _mano mažasis skorpionas_."

Elijah could see the hurt in her eyes when Klaus accused her of abandoning the family and proceeding to use his nickname for her. The emerald hue seemed to soften with hurt. "Of course we're still family you oaf," she muttered back.

"Then what is your name?"

She rolled her eyes, shifting her weight, and muttered her reply. "Daciana Mikaelson."

"I'm sorry, luv, I didn't quite catch that. Sounded like you were missing some pride when I asked for your bloody name!"

Daciana snarled, her jaw tight. "My fucking name, is Daciana fucking Mikaelson!" She yelled back at him.

"You're damn bloody right it is. So what does that make you then?"

"Niklaus Mikaelson's charge and sister not to be trifled with."

"Good girl. Keep it in mind on your way home with Elijah."

* * *

Riel was finishing packing her bag and about to get as far away from Mikaelson Manor and Mystic Falls as she could for as long as allowed. She nearly made it when Klaus walked in the door. He bee lined right for, causing her to groan. "Oh relax, Riel," he started nonchalantly. "I just need a couple of answers and you may be on your way until I call upon you again."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright, what?"

"Let's start with where you got that nasty black grimoire with all the dark hoodoo in the world."

The still blue haired girl let out a soft sigh before dropping down onto the couch. "You know exactly what it is, Klaus."

"And how the bloody hell did you acquire it? The devil wouldn't hand over his sweet treats for free."

"He didn't. A few years ago, Sam and Dean Winchester accidentally released Lucifer from the Cage."

"How the bloody hell did they manage to 'accidentally' release the damn devil?"

"When you meet Sam and Dean, you'll understand. But at the time I was working in a diner in Pike Creek alongside Zarya Deighton. We'd been coworkers for a few years. I knew she wasn't a Deighton but I had no proof to back it up. I knew her well; I knew about Nick and Sarah, everything basically. When Nick went missing, Zarya became… unwell."

Klaus' brow quirked. "How 'unwell'?"

* * *

[Flashback; Pike Creek, DE, 2009]

 _She wished she could say she had lost count of the days since it all began, but that was a farfetched dream. The day Nick didn't pick her up from work she knew something had happened. He was never more than ten minutes late. After so long of each of them doing it it became a joke to just always be ten minutes late. Even her coworkers, who barely gave a damn about her existence, knew something was wrong when she was still waiting for an extra forty minutes before taking off running. She and Nick didn't live in the best parts of town most of their lives. He always walked her home at night. Always._

 _When she didn't find him at home, sulking and drinking in the dark and cold, she called the police. He would never just leave. But he was a grown adult. So it had to be 48+ hours missing before even a report could be filed not that anyone would take it seriously. But she knew the truth. She knew Nick wouldn't just vanish. Not after all they'd been through. The following morning that she awoke after her sob-induced slumber she noticed the first purple bruise on the underside of her upper arm. She thought she must have passed out in an uncomfortable position._

 _The second day, the day she'd go back down to the station to at least file a missing person's report, she had to wear a long sleeve to hide the two larger bruises she had found on each of her upper arms. They filled out the report and an officer gave her a stack of papers that she could put up around town to send her on her way. By time she returned home to shower after stapling and taping every paper around Pike Creek, she found bruises starting on her legs. Furious, she redressed and ran to the little pharmacy around the block for some iron supplements. She took two and a hot shower before passing back out on her bed._

 _Another two days passed and she had to drag herself to work each day as she felt worse. She barely ate and formed dark circles beneath her blue-green eyes despite all the sleep she had been getting. It started getting harder to breathe during her walks to and from work, forcing her to get an inhaler. After a week without Nick she tried to shower and had to sit before she could even wash her hair because she was so lightheaded. Her doctor only told her it was depression because of Nick's disappearance. She suggested counseling, which didn't go over too well._

 _She would call every other day for another week to the station to see if there were any leads. When she finally gathered the strength to walk there one afternoon she overheard the officers laughing about her. She cried the whole walk back to her home. She'd always look out her window to the house next door that she knew was currently empty. She looked at a purple bruise on her arm and poked at it, feeling no pain. Her hair had become as lifeless as her eyes. The diner she worked at gave her a few personal days off. She felt desperate and forced herself to stare at her laptop._

* * *

[Present]

"That was when Sam and Dean found her," Riel continued. "She became a case for them on their hunt for Lucifer and the vessel he could have taken. Lucifer ended up taking Nick Rowell, Zarya's lifetime best friend. She had some time off but when it got to a certain point I just knew something was wrong. So I went to check out her house."

Klaus chuckled a little. "You just broke into your missing coworker's home?"

She shrugged. "I figured something would lead me to finding out if she was a Vasile or just had a really shitty life. I was right and I knew I was when I found Lucifer in her house. He… he knew who I was and that it's you who keeps me off the radar. He offered me his grimoire saying I'd probably get use out of it in the near future. I knew he wasn't just giving it to me but all he said was that he'd collect later. 'It's always good to have a contingency plan, right?' It was thanks to his grimoire that I was able to save Lethia and wake Daciana."

"You still have an open tab with the devil? Well apparently Miss Nova has decided to jump on the free Lucifer bandwagon. Only a matter of time before he's topside."

Riel looked up at him with a very serious countenance. "If Lucifer ever gets freed I know he will come to collect. You're right; it's only a matter of time."

"And you're just… okay with it?"

"No, I'm not okay with any of it," she stood up, "but I'm not gonna cry about it either. All I can hope to do is survive." She shouldered her bag and gave him a small wave with two fingers before walking out the door.

* * *

"Sit anywhere you like," Jolene smiled at Stefan and Damon.

They found Elena and sat opposite her, surprised that she was alone. For a long while they just sat in silence. The brothers grew confused since she had been the one to set up the meeting. "Where's Nova and Lethia?" Damon broke the ice.

She looked up slowly from her coffee. Her expression was blank. "You know I don't want the cure. You need to know that I never will and I'm done talking about it. So… will you accept that and let me be who I am, or not? As for Nova and Lethia, they're making sure it doesn't get forced upon any of them either."

"Elena," came Stefan, "this isn't you. This is Nova's influence all over you without humanity. The angel blood and all this Lucifer crap is tainting the hell out of all of you."

Her already dark irises turned pitch black in a flash, causing both brothers to jump. "'Nova's influence' has done me a lot more good as a vampire and you two really need to accept it. Because if you don't, there will be consequences."

"Dammit, Elena," the elder Salvatore nearly yelled. "Where the hell is Nova?"

"Let me just top that off for you," came Jolene at the side of the table. She smiled and started to refill Elena's mug.

The young vampire smiled back up at her. "Thanks." As soon as the waitress was done and starting to walk away, Elena used her speed and snapped the young woman's neck. The pot of coffee fell to the floor and shattered. "Like I said," she turned back to the brothers, "consequences. That's one body you're responsible for. If you keep trying to fix me, there'll be a second, a twentieth, and a hundredth. Or, you can worry about Lucifer being popped from Hell because that's what Nova went to go help with. It's your choice." Her irises turned black once more for them before she stepped curtly over Jolene's corpse and out the door.

* * *

 **A/N:** See! I'm alive! It's been a while so each time I write a chapter to this I'm just gonna post it. I have so much for _Devil in Me_ written in advance.

Oops.

We're coming [slowly] to the end of season 4. Everything is plotted out I just need to write it. And for some reason these last three chapters have been over 10,000 words so like, fuck LOL  
Clearly what's giving me some beef lmao

I promise good things are coming!  
Stay tuned!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

 **Translation;**

 _mano mažasis skorpionas_ \- Lithuanian - my little scorpion


	41. This is Only a Game

**A/N:** Good gods _finally_! I thought I'd never get through prom. Now I have to get through The Originals (the episode, obvs lol). I'm still on the fence if I wanna throw in a TO spin off for Lethia or just deal with the crossovers when they happen in TVD.

I'm sure you've all come to realize that this chapter means another few week or so break lmao

I'd like to get another chapter out before my wedding at the end of the month, but again, the next chapter is the episode for The Originals. So I'm dreading it about as much as the Supernatural writers evidently have a hard time writing episodes without Dean. -insert eye roll here bc we all know already s14 will be centered around pain-

I'll return with chapter 42 soon enough!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

TVD 04x19 Pictures of You

* * *

41: This is Only a Game.

The two Mikaelson brothers and sisters saw awkwardly around the table at Klaus' mansion. It was a stiff silence you could cut with a knife. Rebekah had the courage first. "Elijah, being a human means a fresh start. I can grow old and have a family and fill my days with meaning, knowing that each one matters."

Daciana shrugged with a sarcastic smile. "My vote goes to Rebekah. She plead her case. Court adjourned now, brothers?"

"Not even close," came Klaus. "Silas can appear as anyone. He got inside my thoughts, convinced me I was dying. He will torment me until I give him the cure."

"And in doing so he will break down the wall to the Other Side," the younger sister argued.

Elijah's eyes wandered curiously to his brother. "Is that your true motive, Niklaus?" His gaze wafted over to their adoptive, raven haired sister, causing her to scowl.

"There is no use trying to use it on Daciana," the Original hybrid replied solemnly. "Too much reason as to why it would not work. We must act quickly against Silas before he stirs up more bloody Vasile family drama."

"If you want a shot at Silas," the ravenette started off slowly as she stared at her hands on the table, "then you should find Saskia."

"For the Vasiles to unite under her tyranny and decimate the rest of us?" Klaus quipped. "Got a sudden interest in seeing your mother?"

She snarled, her fangs extending without her face changing. "Don't you dare associate that word with that woman. She is no mother of mine. I've never known what a true mother was. Saskia Vasile could have done whatever she wanted. She could have had the fake Vasiles who adopted me as our servants but instead she abandoned me to Cassia's and their wrath and whims. I was only freed thanks to the half ass, here again and gone again, sorry excuse of a father, and Lucifer."

"Why not call for the aid of your father again then?" Rebekah suggested. "Surely Cain and that First Blade could kill Silas. Can't it kill anything?"

She scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "My father passed his Mark to Dean Winchester. Those hunter brothers are currently on the hunt for the First Blade which my father abandoned centuries ago for his pitiful, human, second wife. Even had the audacity to tell me to find the traitorous wench that birthed me before exiting my life once again."

"What is it that you seek then, Daciana?" Elijah strained. "You hold the most contempt and bitterness towards your actual blood that made you what you are, but you don't wish to correct it whether human or vampire. We know you have been up to something since Auriel broke the Moore spell on you. What is it?"

Daciana's dark lips pulled into a smirk, her emerald eyes locking with Klaus' blue ones. The hybrid wasn't terribly thrilled that she did so as he watched a darkness growing in her eyes. "There can only be one," she started off dangerously. "One to oversee all with the crown on her head. I intend to be that one. The queen to rule them all like I always deserved before I was hunted like an animal."

"Rule over what, Daciana?"

Her gaze flicked to her oldest brother, irises igniting garnet. "Over everything."

* * *

Nova's right hand was firmly on the wheel of her Firebird, her eyes staring with determination ahead at the highway. She hadn't been taking as good care of herself as she once had, the drugs and bloodlust beginning to consume her. She'd barely touched upon her makeup, leaving remnants from a few days past to be smudged about her eyes. Her curls had turned into dead waves and dark purple circles hung around her bloodshot eyes. Her nostrils had become raw as many times as they healed. She'd given up on putting on lipstick or even chapstick. Abaddon still rode inside of Carina beside her, ignoring the change in Nova. Carina could still see from time to time and could barely look at the elder Vasile.

"What have you got, Elena?" the Romanian spoke into her phone when her progeny called. Even her voice came out dead.

"Elijah got the cure and set up a deal with Rebekah," she answered on the other end. "He wants her to have a day of pure human experience."

They all rolled their eyes and practically scoffed.

"What do you plan to do about that?" Nova questioned.

"Lethia and I have it covered - Rebekah wants to go to prom. So we're going to make sure she enjoys her human prom."

Her nearly chapped lips turned into a smirk. "See? There you go using your brain. I'm impressed. What of Thea, anyways? How has she been?"

In Mystic Falls, Elena came up outside a dress shop with her phone to her ear. She smiled slyly as Lethia met her from the other end of the street. The blonde took the phone as soon as she heard Nova's voice. "I'm fine, _õde_. I've spent most of my time with Niklaus as to not tear through the townies." She grinned toothily. "It's been quite interesting since Daciana has been dragged back to the manor."

"Oh yeah? Seems we're all coming out of the woodworks now, aren't we? What's Klaus' issue with her anyways if he loves her so damn much?"

"She's fucking tapped, Nov. But she won't do a damn thing without Klaus' say so. She'll run her mouth in who the holy hell knows what language but if Klaus tells her to shut her cake hole then she does. The only thing I've ever seen like it is-"

"A sire bond," Nova finished her sentence. "But it's not possible. Daciana is an Original. She couldn't be sired to anyone except _maybe_ Esther but that's a joke too. Are they just used to this level of family drama? How come Elena and I have the Salvatores up our asses about turning our humanity on but Daciana is completely off radar?"

Lethia shrugged. "I don't even think they know or care about my switch being off. Not since all the skeletons are coming out of the closets. Turns out Daciana is a Lucifer obsessed thorn in Nik's side and Silas got in his head recently. What's it matter to the Mikaelsons if I don't give a fuck?"

The ravenette shook her head. "I wonder who will have more family drama in the long run - the Mikaelsons or the Vasiles." She let out a tired, frustrated sigh. "Do what you guys have to. I'll be in Kansas in a couple of hours."

When the call ended, the two walked into the shop causing the bell over the door to chime. They were immediately met with Caroline and Bonnie whom they smirked at. Caroline had been trying on the dress she chose, making sure it fit her correctly. "Hey, Bonnie," Elena started. "Heard you got your mind wiped - that sucks. Pretty dress, Caroline."

The blonde vampire's eye nearly twitched. "I know. You helped me pick it out months ago when we were friends - before you tried to kill me."

Lethia had started to wander about them, casually looking around at all the dresses. She caught Elena musing devilishly at the pinkish-red gown. "I thought it looked familiar."

Caroline kept looking between the latter blonde and her former best friend while Bonnie avoided all eye contact. "So is Lethia your real date's understudy since you three are the only ones that like each other anymore because you tried to hurt or kill everyone else?"

The blonde hybrid grinned with her fangs casually out over a dress rack at the vampire as she returned into her day clothes. "Would you prefer that Elena gets herself a human date to munch on? And perhaps I could have Niklaus escort me. Any excuse for him to put his hand up my dress, right?"

Caroline's face started to flush a bright pink. She quickly handed the store clerk her gown. "Can you press this for me? I'll pick it up later. Bonnie?" She turned to the witch who hurried out with her.

Elena's eyes remained fixed on the dress Caroline had put on the counter. Lethia could see the wheels turning as she still grinned. "I'll find a dress that looks good beside that one." She winked.

* * *

Elena had decided to get ready at Nova's house in the woods. She knew it would be empty and away from everyone staring at them with prejudice. She finished and made it to the front door where Stefan and Damon waited. The ravenette crossed her arms and sighed at both of them. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Really?" Stefan quipped back. "Because the last time I saw you, you snapped a waitress' spine."

"Got you to stop your search for the cure, didn't it?"

He sighed and held out a corsage for her with a semi-forced smile. "May I?"

"Nope."

As soon as the shock crossed both of their faces Lethia came into view all dressed up herself. She flipped Stefan her manicured middle finger before slipping a corsage of her own on Elena's wrist and looking arrogantly to the brothers. "It's _Gladioli_ , the Sword Lilies of Estonia. They match her dress perfectly, compared to other flowers." She tossed a disgusted scowl to the corsage in Stefan's hand.

Damon's lips twitched as anger started to bubble. "I suppose it does, doesn't it? Need something just perfect for those beautiful dresses." His teeth were practically grit.

Lethia grinned and did a little spin in her dress; it was a shimmering rose gold with a low neck and back and slit up to her thigh. Her golden hair was in curls, pulled up and pinned low around the base of her skull like she had done in the 50's. "Thanks," she purred, leaving the sentence open ended.

Elena smirked beside her. "We stole them," she caught on and finished.

Again, the brothers did their best to bite their tongues. They still weren't sure if Nova was lying in wait somewhere. They couldn't take on all three, not when Lethia definitely had Klaus and his siblings backing her. Damon's lips twitched again as he forced a small smile. "I don't suppose Nova planned to be fashionably late? We've always loved mocking students at prom together."

A light bulb went off in Lethia's head. She reached into her cleavage and took out her cell phone, tossing it to the raven haired Salvatore. "Actually, she's not. So if you wouldn't mind getting a picture of us for her, that'd be great, D."

Lethia Kross had always managed to push Damon's buttons like the little sister he never had. He loved her dearly, but sometimes he just wanted to snap her neck. And since she had become a hybrid it opened oh so many doors for Damon. But they had to tread carefully. Seclude each one. There was no taking them down as a team. No, Elena had to go first; she was unfortunately the weakest link being the youngest sire and so incredibly human. Lethia would get swept up in the Mikaelson family drama which left Nova. He had to save his Nova before it was too late.

"Where is Nova then?" He chose his words carefully as he lined up the picture of the smiling girls. "She usually looks for an excuse to get all dolled up and look better than humanity."

As soon as the shutter clicked the blonde hybrid snatched her phone back. "Don't worry about Nova, she'll be back soon. She just had a couple of errands to run outside of little old Virginia." She shrugged.

"Do those errands involve dropping bodies?" Stefan questioned petulantly.

Elena smirked at him. "It might."

The two girls linked arms, winking as they walked past the brothers out the door. Lethia opened the passenger door of her Maserati and dramatically bowed for Elena before getting in the driver's seat and taking off.

* * *

"Klaus?" Caroline called as she stepped into the manor. She opened her mouth to call him again when Daciana walked in from the living room. Caroline tried to run back out, but the ravenette caught her before she could.

Daciana saw how distraught the young vampire was as soon as she walked in the door. She caught Caroline before she could leave, gently grabbing her upper arm. "What's the matter?"

Caroline blinked a couple of times, surprised by how calm and genuine the Original's voice sounded. She hesitated before sheepishly admitting what happened. "Elena stole my prom dress…"

"Prom…?" the ravenette mused. "I've heard that was an event happening around town. Is it like a ball or gala?"

Something sparked in Caroline suddenly and she couldn't help herself. "Prom is this amazing high school dance. You get to get out early and wear a fancy dress and get your hair and nails done," she started to gush. "There's a king and queen that everyone votes for and this year we've got a bunch of everyone's memories and photos for display. There's music, and food, and dancing; it's perfect."

The blonde watched as Daciana eyed her intently. A smile slowly spread across her face, a strangely human light glowing in her emerald eyes. "I recall a time when my siblings and I lived in a castle after we turned. We were treated like royalty. I got to wear beautiful dresses and ladies did my hair for me. In Lithuania, my parents were technically royalty but my dear brother Kol once referred to me as 'Cinderella'." They shared a small laugh. "Rebekah and I would spend hours trying on each dress and every night we had a massive dinner together. There would be music and I would get to dance with each of my brothers. I remember how special I felt." She looked Caroline up and down thoughtfully before grabbing her hand and tugging her towards the stairs.

"Whoa," the blonde tugged back, refusing to walk up the stairs. "What are you doing?"

Daciana looked down at her from a couple of steps up very seriously. "No lady should miss out on an experience that makes her shine, feel beautiful. To add to that, it was a relative of mine's progeny that sabotaged you by taking your gown of all things. At least let me make it up to you so you can outshine that old friend of yours."

She hesitated, finding it strange that Daciana was treating her so sweetly. "No offense or anything, Daciana, but haven't you told me before that you're a monster no different than Klaus? Why would you want to help me?"

The ravenette stepped down to Caroline's level and smiled softly. "The Vasiles and Mikaelsons will always be monsters, Caroline. But we were all human once too, at least presumedly. I've had human experiences. I've felt love and shame and heartbreak. I was just a girl once whose sister was always ruining everything good that ever came my way. While it's not easy for me to show compassion or mercy anymore, I do still feel. I see the love you hold for the Lockwood wolf, the loyalty and care you cling to for your friends. The Mikaelsons helped me feel beautiful again when Cassia and the Vasiles tore me down. I just want to help you feel beautiful again so you don't have to miss out on memories you'll have for centuries."

Caroline stared at the raven haired Mikaelson for a long moment. She could see how genuine Daciana actually was. She also didn't exactly have any other options. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad…

* * *

Lethia's face scrunched up with disgust at Caroline's decorating for the prom. Various photos of each student and faculty member displayed with pride all around, several coming up on screens. The hybrid's amber eyes were on a screen when a photo of Matt and Elena came up. She mocked throwing up. "Maybe it's a good thing I missed out on high school." She rolled her eyes.

Elena was staring vacantly at the photo. "My mom took that when she dropped us off at school the first day of freshman year."

Her face scrunched more looking closer at Matt's smiling face and the way his eyes glimmered bright against the sunlight. Something about his facial structure and those eyes reminded her of someone. "Was that a pretty common thing to do - take pictures on the first day of school?"

"First day, last day, events; my mom could find any excuse to bring out her camera." The two young women could feel the way the mood was changing. They were silently thankful that Matt's face began to fade, but then one of Elena and _Jeremy_ came up on the screen. The brunette's jaw set tightly as she stared into the eyes of nothing more than a photo on a screen. "I'm gonna get a seizure if I keep staring at these screens."

Lethia linked her arm with Elena's and met her eye. "I can literally feel an aneurysm coming on if I stand here looking at more sappy, human memories. Let's see what's for dinner." She grinned. They started walking into the actual dance when they were met with Stefan and Damon. Both girls groaned and Lethia used her free hand to reach into her cleavage and pull out a golden flask. Just before it could touch her lips, the flask was ripped from her hand. Anger immediately flooded her blood.

Damon took a swig with a smirk. "You know, you're both technically underage," he teased.

The blonde hybrid used her strength and speed to snatch the flask back right out of his hand. Elena had cut her eyes coldly at him for the blonde beside her. "You're both technically overage," she quipped before taking a swig and handing the flask to Elena.

She stared the brothers down as she took the flask and took a hefty swig. "And honestly," she added to Lethia's comment as she handed back the flask, "it's kind of creepy."

Stefan could feel the spite and anger growing in his brother. He knew Lethia was always like that obnoxious little sister to him. Nova's best friend and partner in real crime. Lethia Kross was mouthy, boisterous, and headstrong. A fantastic ally, but ruthless enemy. Being bound to both Klaus and the Vasiles gave her an added jagged edge they knew they had to treat carefully around. Before Stefan could say anything, he feared Damon would be making a scene with the blonde.

"Oh, come on. What badass senior's complete without a prom date that's slightly too old for high school?"

Lethia grinned toothily back at him. They could see her fangs extending slowly, tauntingly. "Please don't refer to either of yourselves as her date when it's me who so kindly has her arm and helped her get ready. Pretty sure I fit in anyways, having been born in 1914."

"I'd say that qualifies as 'slightly too old for high school'," Elena smirked.

"What about your _boyfriend_ then?" came Stefan suddenly, anger beginning to spike for him. The two girls looked at one another and snickered for a moment. "Are you seriously about to deny our relationship after everything you've done to fight for it?"

Her expression was entirely nonchalant. Devoid of any guilt or shame or love. "Honestly, I thought we were on some kind of break or unofficial breakup since I slept with Nova." She shrugged.

While Elena kept her gaze locked with Stefan, Lethia had hers on Damon. Her fangs nearly extended over her bottom lip as she grinned so wolfishly. "And liked it?"

"And liked it."

Before the brothers could react aside from the horror on their faces, the blonde started to snicker. She had smelled Caroline's stupid perfume the second she walked in the vicinity. The young vampire seemed oddly timid in the extravagant off white mermaid gown as she slowly approached. She watched Lethia and Elena turn to her, clearly ready to verbally attack her too. She then watched their expressions change to surprise and shock as Daciana's long strides caught up to her. It certainly took all four by surprise, seeing Daciana Mikaelson-Vasile at Caroline Forbes' side. She looked magnificent herself donning a navy blue gown with lace sleeves and a deep v-neck, embellished with shimmering stones on the bodice and glitter on the skirt. Her dark hair was in gallant curls pulled to her left side and cascading down her shoulder and arm. With Daciana beside her, confidence seemed to grow in Caroline and they boldly walked right up to the four.

Elena was the first to react, having the deepest ties once to Caroline. An arrogant smirk tugged on her lips as she eyeballed the blonde vampire. "So, how do I look?"

Before Caroline could let her former best friend have all the awful words swimming around in her noggin, Daciana pulled her back. She looked up to the ravenette who stood as straight and regally as Nova would. She held herself full of grace as she looked Elena in the eye and told her, "The dress is beautiful, Elena. I'm quite certain that's why Caroline originally had chosen it for herself."

Lethia rolled her eyes because Caroline finally had a Vasile _and_ Mikaelson technically to run to but Elena remained firm and cold. "At least she still managed to get some kind of dress and date in time. I just don't think some hand-me-down wedding dress and a thousand year old vampire date will bring home that prom queen crown. Surprised you'd even come to something so lame, Daciana."

The Salvatores took a step back as Daciana took one protectively in front of Caroline. She stood above both Elena and Lethia by a good few inches. "I know the feeling of someone once close to you purposely trying to sabotage a small inkling of happiness in your life. And I'll have you know, _maža mergaitė_ , that gown was made for me by the hand of a magnificent Spanish tailor in 1087 AD for my birthday gala orchestrated by my siblings. I do not, nor have I ever or will ever, believe in the concept of marriage."

Lethia scoffed and rolled her eyes again. "Everyone ends up beside a Vasile sooner or later, kid," she looked to Caroline. "That one can call herself Mikaelson all she wants but she's just as Vasile as Nova. Keep that in mind."

Another smirk hit Elena's countenance when a thought crossed her. "Are you two an item yet since Klaus and Lethia are a thing? That takes him off the market for you to screw up, Caroline. Or are you still clung to Tyler who's running for his life? Is that why you're seeking comfort in a different Mikaelson?"

Seeing the look on Caroline's face was satisfactory enough for Elena. She took Lethia's arm again and brushed icily past Caroline and Daciana. She looked up to the brothers, finding Damon having vanished and Stefan looking next to shattered. She gave him a nod and he immediately vanished. Caroline heaved a deep sigh as photos continued to play across the screens. Her heart ached remembering each smile and laugh. "I'm so sorry for Elena's behavior," she offered the ravenette as she lamented. "This isn't her…"

Daciana also watched the photos play although they didn't deeply affect her. She put a cool hand gently on Caroline's bare shoulder, her own memories playing against the pictures she watched. Memories she'd long since buried out of spite. "I understand entirely, Caroline. You have nothing to apologize for, let alone for another's behavior because her humanity is off."

Sheepishly, the blonde looked up to her. "Have you… have you ever shut it off in all the time you've been a vampire?"

She was quiet for a long moment, almost making Caroline regret having asked. "I have," she finally admitted quietly. "It was barely a century into my being a vampire."

"What happened? If-if you don't mind me asking."

Daciana licked her dark ruby lips as the memories resurfaced. "I was becoming overwhelmed with knowing what I did about my blood, about the Vasiles. I'd fled my homeland after years of abuse and finding out about my real father. Then we were all on the run from Mikael who sought Niklaus' head the deepest. I felt that I had to protect him and the rest of my siblings but if I was to do that then I had to detach myself from the attachments of my previous life. I shut it off and lived in true darkness."

Caroline was staring up at her in awe as she continued. "In 1114A.D. the Brotherhood of the Five attempted an assassination on me and all of my siblings. They had used the White Oak Ash daggers which subdued us for some time. I awoke first and pulled the dagger from my chest seeing the same sight for each of my siblings. I truly believed the Five had succeeded in killing them when Niklaus awoke next. The dagger wouldn't work fully on him because he was a hybrid."

"That really messed you up, didn't it?" Caroline asked quietly.

Daciana's eyes were dark as the memory replayed in her mind. "My eyes landed first on Niklaus. Then Rebekah, Elijah, Kol, and Finn. My humanity had been off for some time but seeing Niklaus as he was, taken down by a stupid dagger and some foolish hunters…" She wrapped her arms around herself, long nails nearly digging into her skin. "The world around me began to darken and crumble… I could feel my heart actually beating in my chest which was something I hadn't felt in years. Perhaps blatantly ignored even. Everything I'd pushed down, shut off, just exploded. I forgot about Lucifer and humanity in total. Thinking I had lost Niklaus broke me to my core and forced my humanity back on."

The younger vampire was borderline mortified and deeply interested. "But then Klaus woke up you said."

She nodded. "He did. It was almost instantaneous that something happened to my switch just as he awoke and pulled the dagger from his chest."

"What do you mean 'something happened to your switch'?"

"I was mid-breakdown when Niklaus returned to me. It wasn't just flipping the switch back up. As soon as I saw life in my brother's eyes again we slaughtered the Brotherhood of the Five and anyone they cared about. I continued to do so for decades, centuries even."

She nearly gasped. "You… you also killed hunters? Does that mean you also-"

"Suffered the hunter's curse? Deeply. For 52 years, 4 months, and 9 days by Niklaus' side we endured the agony forcing our hands to take our lives. I had channeled by pain as my humanity was returning into volatile rage which gave me the strength to kill the hunters. Then as the curse tried to make us kill ourselves, no matter how we struggled each day, I forced that desire to kill myself onto something else. Someone else. Everytime I wanted to end my life or help convince Niklaus to end his I would kill someone else. Generally a human with how easy and frail they are. I hadn't even realized when the curse ended because I enjoyed killing too much to stop."

* * *

Nova and Abaddon, who remained in Carina, just reached Kansas' border when Nova stopped at a motel. Abaddon made a face. "Why are we stopping here?"

"A girl's got to eat," Nova smirked, flashing her fangs. Before she stepped out of her car Abaddon smashed her head off of the wheel. Her head bounced back and the Romanian let out a groan of pain.

Abaddon shrugged. "I was hoping it wouldn't be so difficult with you since you shut off your humanity."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" She groaned.

Abaddon gave another smash, really making her head spin. She started fiddling through Nova's pockets before finding Zarya's family bracelet. She kept searching Nova when the Romanian started to laugh. That earned her another smash off the wheel, causing her to bleed from the nose and mouth. Yet Nova kept laughing. "Where is Remiel's treasure?!"

Nova spat a mouthful of blood at the demon inhabiting her relative. "If it's not on me then nobody will get it unless I turn my humanity back on." She grinned with her blood on her teeth and lips.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"If you can't find the stone on me then I know who took it and they aren't going to give it back unless I turn my humanity on. Which I have no intent on doing."

Abaddon snarled and hit Nova's head off of the wheel again. "Who has the stone? Tell me!" When the Romanian only laughed she earned another smash. "You shut your fucking humanity off. You shouldn't have an issue giving up who took the stone from you."

"Humanity on or off," Nova looked at her very seriously and darkly, "I will never give names. I might not care but I am never a rat. Also," her irises started to bleed black, "you probably shouldn't have taken a Vasile as your meatsuit." Her hand sprung out and grabbed Abaddon's (Carina's) throat, forcing her to look Nova in the eye. Carina's eyes bled to black, matching Nova's. " _Get out of Carina Vasile._ "

Black smoke came flying out of her mouth suddenly and out of the Firebird. Once it was all gone Carina flopped back against the seat unconscious. Nova used the back of her hand to wipe the blood from her mouth and grabbed Zarya's bracelet back from Carina. As the rest of her slowly healed she sent a quick message to Zarya about Abaddon trying to steal her bracelet. Scrolling through her missed messages, she found a photo of Lethia from her with Elena at the prom. She couldn't help but laugh a little.

Carina started to groan lightly, coming to. She grabbed her head and sat forward. "I feel like I haven't eaten in almost two weeks. I'm starving."

"Did you know you were possessed by a Knight of Hell?"

The younger Vasile's face scrunched up with disgust. "She got the jump on me. I was there the whole time; she made me watch. And I thought vampires could get sick and twisted." She shook her head and looked out the windows at the city around them. "You would have thought that using a vampire for a vessel and starving it would have weakened her."

Nova's brow quirked up. "How did Abaddon even find you though?"

"I've...been known to have interactions with demons. I have a couple of allies. I do what it takes to find Clara."

"Why demons though?"

"To be honest, aside from the couple of allies, I'm just helping Hell with its overpopulation of the things. Demon blood will give you that extra something like cocaine would do for you, although I assume it's not doing as much anymore."

She scoffed and crossed her arms, looking out the windshield. "What would give you that idea?"

Carina laughed mockingly at her. "You're incredibly obvious to anyone paying attention, Nova. With that switch flipped you're much less inconspicuous. You've got stashes anywhere you could possibly need them and I can literally see the remnants still on your nose. The scent of pot from the glovebox also caught my attention."

Something dark and distant danced in Nova's eyes. "Is it useful, though?" Her voice started off quiet. "Does it make you stronger than human blood does?"

"How do you think I've been able to endure Niklaus for so long? After he daggered Kol and left him in that box I did what I needed to in order to survive. Personally, I don't think demon blood is what you're looking for."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You recently drank the last remnants of Saskia's nephilim blood she was born with. Because of her, we each were born with watered down nephilim blood. You're just like her - part vampire, part angel. I suspect you can see angels' and demons' true faces and you have your own little glow now. That'll put you on heavenly radar. You've already drank half angel blood; your body will likely adapt easier to angel blood."

Nova looked over to Carina with a devious smirk. "How about we find us some angels and demons than?"

* * *

Damon had been enjoying the cool air outside, seriously contemplating lighting up one of Nova's cigarettes. For some reason he always had a pack in his pocket. As if she was going to run back to him, breaking down because of her humanity, and desperately need a cigarette. Maybe it was just one of the last things he had to cling to that reminded him of her. He wasn't surprised when he heard footfalls coming up behind him.

"You looking for Silas or are you waxing nostalgic about misspent youth?" he heard Stefan's voice.

He scoffed and practically rolled his eyes. It had been his second time outside that night already. Even after Lethia and Elena's mouthy tag team Stefan still had tried to woo the young vampire on the dance floor. Under different circumstances he would have laughed at the rejection his brother received. "Well, I mean, for a guy who got told that his relationship was basically over because his girlfriend slept with mine, you're still trying to be a convincing boyfriend out there."

"I mean, isn't that what we're doing, reminding Elena of what she's lost?"

"Like her feelings for you?" Damon scoffed, looking his younger brother up and down skeptically. "All you did was waste your time and give Lethia a chance to be up to no good. Did you even notice that she vanished while you were trying to make Elena want you again?"

Stefan's expression was unusually unreadable. "I mean… I don't mean to be a dick, Damon, but Elena and I have a history. Memories, laughs, ups and downs. It was a real relationship. I mean, until you and Nova got in the way that is. What you two have is just a one-night stand that was probably the result of the sire bond. The same sire bond that gave Elena a one-night stand with Nova too."

Damon's fists clenched at his sides. "How about you take me the fuck out of the equation because it's Nova's blood and influence that's rotted and spread like cancer."

"And you want to, what? Cure her of that darkness? It's a darkness that's eons old, Damon. Which is exactly the problem. You're quite right - her blood had darkened and spread like a cancer. But don't you know there's no cure for that either? It spreads until everything starts to die."

"What would you even know aside from the snooping you did on Nova? You were just as clueless as the rest of us. She never even cared about her family or blood until she came back here because you went and fucked up _again_ , Stefan."

He started to chuckle, the dark, mocking sound coming out quietly. "You'll see soon enough, Damon. There is no saving the Vasiles or anyone their blood touches. It's only a matter of time before they either rot the rest of the Earth or take themselves out. Quite frankly, I'd like to help with the latter."

When Stefan smirked, Damon's face changed with rage. He let out a low snarl before speeding at his brother. Before he got his hands on Stefan, however, something sharp and painful pierced his gut. Damon's face returned to normal as he started to bleed from the wooden stake Stefan had rammed in him. He looked to his brother with betrayal in his eyes, only to find the light in Stefan's eyes not there. It wasn't his brother.

"Your mind is a very dark and riveting place, Damon."

He fell to his knees with the stake sticking out of him still, groaning in pain as he looked up to whom he had thought was his brother. "Silas," he groaned, blood starting to drip from his mouth. "Where's my brother, you psychic freak?"

"He's in the woods, where I convinced him I was you. He's probably in a bit of pain now, too. The witch is mine. Stay away from her or I go for Nova. I had originally thought of Daciana, see if mommy dearest would come running, but I doubt that Saskia even remembers her daughters' names." Silas smirked and kicked Damon in the chest, pushing him down into the ground to cough on his own blood. "I bet your sweet Nova is kilos deep of coke and thousands more bodies at her feet. It wouldn't be that difficult to rip out her heart when she starts to overdose. Maybe I'd make her do it herself." He shrugged and started to walk away when he turned back and knelt down to Damon's level. "Oh, and Lethia definitely was up to something involving the prom queen. Leave it to the Vasile blood to taint everyone around them." He shrugged and walked off with his hands in his pocket and a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Son of a bitch," Damon groaned as he forced himself to grab his phone from his jacket pocket. As fast as he could he typed to Rebekah about Elena and Lethia knowing she was the only one left inside he could remotely trust.

As soon as Rebekah read the short message she ran right to Matt. "You need to get your queen off the stage."

Matt looked down at her with a scrunched up expression. "I can't really do that right now." He tried to turn away, but she grabbed his arm.

"You didn't hear it from me, but Elena and Lethia are up to something."

He saw an almost pleading look in the Original's eyes. Curiously he let his gaze waft over the crowd where he found the two in question staring the stage down. As soon as Bonnie started to walk off the stage, the girls' eyed her like prey and followed her towards a tent. "Bonnie!" He shouted as he took off running.

The girls had been far enough away where Bonnie couldn't hear him without supernatural hearing. Elena approached the witch first with a sinister smile. "Congratulations, Bonnie."

She looked to her former best friend with contempt, almost. "What do you want?"

"For you to stop being a problem."

The second Elena vamped out, Bonnie reacted. Before Elena could get a scratch on her Bonnie's magic had her subdued in great pain. Lethia appeared suddenly and pulled Elena to her feet. When the two grabbed hands it seemed to deflect Bonnie's magic some. Still, Bonnie tried to fight. She watched as their irises turned black, her magic no longer working at all. Lethia's eyes ignited gold and vamped out as Elena's did basically the same beside her. They let out a low snarl, ready to strike, when Matt ran in from the back. He grabbed Bonnie, looking to Elena and Lethia with deep fear. Even if they tried to run, they weren't faster than a vampire and hybrid.

Just as Lethia and Elena were about to advance, they stopped in their tracks looking like the air was being sucked right out of their lungs. While they started to choke, unable to breathe, Bonnie gave them both a powerful shock which nearly forced them to their knees. "I gotta get out of here," she told Matt with panic in her voice as she stared down at the blonde and brunette.

"Then go," commanded Daciana's voice. There was a massive gust of wind that blew open the tent and held it in for the Original to walk in. She held her hands out as if she was doing magic, eyes glowing a bright garnet red. As her fingers curled inward, more air was forced from the two writhing on the ground. "Get out of here. Both of you. _Now!_ "

Matt tried to pull Bonnie away but found her just as captivated and utterly shocked at the thought of an Original vampire and Vasile doing any kind of magic. She started to stutter but he kept pulling her along until they were out of the tent and hurrying away. "I don't even know what the fuck is going on in this town anymore. We gotta go, Bonnie!"

Choking on the little air she had, Lethia spoke quickly to Elena. "You remember how Nov and Damon can do the ice and fog and shit?" The brunette quickly nodded. "Then figure out something like that before our lungs implode." She gasped and coughed. "Break her focus."

As if she wore a sign that read, 'Always Convenient for Supernatural Bullshit', April Young stepped foot into the tent. With the last bit of anger and air she had left in her, Elena lunged for her classmate and dug her fangs in as deep as they would go. April started to scream and bleed; Elena could feel her control over her lungs again. Feeling the disconnection angered Daciana who made a move for Lethia in retaliation. Before she could grab the hybrid, however, Elena had dropped a bleeding and lightheaded April to rush over and break Daciana's arm. She knew they were on the clock still and hastily grabbed Lethia's arm, making off out of the tent with her. Daciana's face started to change, fangs growing steadily over her ruby lips. Her irises ignited garnet again as she snapped her arm back into the right places, fury burning brightly and hungrily.

"Get out of my head!" Bonnie screamed outside. She hadn't made it very far before Silas was clawing at her mind. Car alarms had started to blare uncontrollably, the wind abnormally growing stronger and blowing leaves harshly.

Elena had gotten Lethia outside and leaned her against one of the annoying cars as she recovered herself. They heard Bonnie scream and felt her magic spiraling, Expression taking hold. The young vampire's head immediately snapped up to find the witch. Still panting, Lethia tried to grab hold of her wrist. "It's not worth it now. Too dangerous."

She ripped her wrist away from the blonde and went storming up through the wind towards Bonnie. Lethia grabbed at the car to help herself stand, her strength putting deep dents through various parts of the metal. "Elena, stop it!" She called through the brewing almost storm.

It was enough to catch Bonnie's attention, but Elena had just enough speed after feeding on April. Elena reached the witch first taking a good bite out of her neck before Bonnie could fight back. She started to cry out in pain, then Elena began making choking noises and backing off. She spat out some blood and looked up to Bonnie who angrily used her magic on Elena again. While Elena coughed on the blood and writhed in pain on the ground, the wound she caused on Bonnie began to heal rapidly. One by one she used magic to start breaking Elena's bones.

"Bonnie, stop!" Stefan shouted over the wind.

"Lettie," Elena groaned, "help me!"

"Bonnie, you're killing her!"

"I know what I'm doing," Bonnie spoke coldly back.

"Bonnie, please!"

The witch looked up momentarily as Elena called for Lethia again. She watched as the hybrid seemed to take a step back. Just like that everything stopped - the car alarms, the wind, Elena's pain. The four of them were quiet as Damon joined his brother's side slowly, looking to Lethia. She took a hesitant step towards Elena as she panted on the ground. "I'll take her home," she offered quietly before feeling a hand on her shoulder. When she looked up, she found Klaus staring down at her disapprovingly.

"Lettie," Elena choked out, desperately trying to get up and get to the blonde. "Lethia!"

She weighed her options, looking back and forth between Klaus and Elena. Out of curiosity she tried to move to see what the outcome would be; she felt his hand clamp tighter around her, preventing her from doing anything. When she looked back down, Stefan was jabbing a full syringe of vervain into Elena. She wrinkled her face and turned away, tapping her foot nervously. "Vervain won't do any of you much. Not for long."

"It'll work for now," Damon offered, "since she hasn't been exposed to vervain often enough to build up the immunity."

The younger hybrid's amber eyes widened with realization. She could practically feel Klaus' smirk beside her. "You know something, mate? Neither has Lethia."

Panic started to set in and she fought against Klaus' grip feebly. "No!" She argued.

Klaus grabbed hold of both of her arms, holding firmly in place. She knew it was Damon who would get the satisfaction when she felt the needle go into her neck. She fought as hard as she could against the stinging vervain as it invaded her blood and skin, eventually succumbing to the painful darkness.

Heaving a deep sigh after Klaus made off with Lethia, Damon ran a hand through his hair. "Plan 'B'."

* * *

"She might not feel much, but she's gonna feel _that_ in the morning." Damon spoke after he and Stefan laid Elena on a cot in one of the basement cells.

"When Bonnie was whaling on her tonight, I could see it in her eyes. Elena thought she was gonna die. She was scared." Stefan offered, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Fear. Last time I checked, one of those pesky human emotions."

"So Plan 'C' - make her life a living hell."

"You really think that's going to work?"

"Do you doubt it only because you know it won't be the same if we ever get our hands on Nova?"

The brothers were quiet when Caroline joined them. She had heard most of the conversation as she made her way to the basement. "Daciana had her humanity off for some time too," she offered.

"What good does that do us?" Damon rolled his eyes.

"Well, she's a Vasile isn't she? She had her humanity off until the Five attacked and daggered them. When she thought Klaus was dead it made her humanity come back. Fear, but fear of losing someone who means most to you."

They contemplated it for a moment, not entirely sure if it would work for any of the three women. Damon, however, mulled the idea longer than his brother. Would putting his life in peril open Nova's eyes? All of the love and protection in the world wasn't enough anymore clearly. Would the fear of losing him be enough? Did she even care?

"Where did you even vanish off to?" Stefan's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Caroline smiled, her cheeks turning light pink. "I… I got some alone time with Tyler. Another surprise from Daciana."

Both brothers looked to her with surprise. "Seriously?" Stefan questioned. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I have honestly no clue. I saw an entirely different side of Daciana Mikaelson today. She even helped Tyler escape when Klaus came storming through. I think… I think that there might honestly be something worth redeeming in Daciana if you dig deep enough. She just wants to protect the family that gave her some kind of shot at life."

Lethia let ou

* * *

t a borderline obnoxious groan as she came to. Her head was throbbing and spinning. When was the last time she actually fed from someone or had a full blood bag? She swore she'd never get used to that when she was so obsessed with pizza and shrimp fried rice. She blinked several times until she realized she was in a car on a highway. Her heart started to race. She found Klaus in the driver's seat looking less than amused.

"What the hell is going on?" She questioned quickly, gripping the seat tightly. "Where are we? Where are we headed?"

Klaus reached for something on the dash and tossed it in her lap without taking his eyes off of the road. " _We_ are going to New Orleans because I can no longer trust you unsupervised in Mystic Falls."

She held the letter from Katherine delicately in her hands. Hesitantly, she took it out of the envelope and read it, leaning back in the seat.

* * *

"Are you sure this will work?"

Nova and Carina stood back to back in a massive clearing on the border of Kansas. Carina smirked. "It'll work, Nova. The Vasiles are like beacons; big, red targets for Heaven and Hell to try and shoot down. Now that you're all dosed up with the first nephilim's blood, I wouldn't be surprised if whatever may be left of the archangels come for us."

"What's the issue with nephilim anyways?"

"Michael put a hit on all nephilim, calling them abominations. Any Vasile nephilim are the worst of the worst. He doesn't want us to step one Prada heel into Heaven's pearly gates." She rolled her eyes. "Show time," she announced with a smirk when black smoke shot up from the ground. On the other end of the field a bright flash of light came down. Once it all cleared, a group of angels and demons alike waited. "Get your hands on an angel blade if you can; they're incredibly useful."

The two dashed off to opposite ends of the field, Carina diving for the demons and Nova for the angels. Nova's speed was no match for anything the angels hoped to accomplish. Right off the bat she snatched up one and tore right into his throat mercilessly. As her head came back up and his vessel's body fell limp onto the ground, Nova's emerald eyes ignited a volatile violet with angel blood dripping down her chin. One by one she did the same to each of the rest who opposed her.


	42. Truth Called You Out

42: Truth Called You Out.

"She's the calmest desiccating vampire I've ever seen," Damon commented as he and Stefan watched Elena through the bars. "I remember when you starved me down there for three days. I would've wept at your feet for an orange peel."

"Look, she's not gonna beg for blood. Begging means desperation, emotion. She's still in no-humanity zone."

"How hungry does she have to be before we can torture some feelings back into her?"

Stefan tossed a side-glance to his brother. "A lot hungrier than she is now. And I imagine it'll only be worse for Nova and Lethia, given their track records."

Damon's eyes cut instinctively with a twinge of anger. "Watch it. I know Nova. It's not the first time I've brought her back from the edge."

The younger brother shrugged. "So what are we supposed to do in the meantime?"

The sound of heels clicking down the stone steps echoed through the cellar, causing the two men to turn. Katherine smirked at both of them. "Maybe I can provide a little excitement."

Both brothers rolled their eyes at the sight of the older vampire. "Wow, look who went and got bold." Damon quipped. "Last time I checked, Klaus was plotting your eternal demise."

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore, because Klaus is gone. And you don't have to worry about Lethia either because she's his problem now."

They looked to one another quick before Stefan asked her, "Wait, what do you mean he's gone?"

She shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. "Let's just say that werewolf girl, Hayley, turned out to be just the thing we needed to get Klaus out of our lives - for good. And it's only a matter of time before little Lettie's humanity is back on as well. For a newbie it's usually something tragic then mystifying."

* * *

"New Orleans?" Rebekah exclaimed, her face scrunched up with confusion and mild disgust. "What the hell is Klaus doing there?"

The blonde's mouth had attracted Daciana to the living room. She arched a brow at Elijah herself. "Yes, Elijah, why is Niklaus in New Orleans without having told any of us and taken a feral Kross hybrid instead?"

Elijah's eyes darted between his two sisters, his countenance always calm and unreadable. "Evidently there are witches conspiring against him. So, knowing our brother, this was a mission to silence and slaughter."

"Well, the French Quarter witches are not a lot to be trifled with. You don't suppose they've found a way to kill him once and for all, do you?" The blonde Original smirked a little.

Daciana's face immediately showed anger. "Why would you hope for such a thing? Because you missed out on being human and pathetic?"

"It's been a thousand years, Daciana," Rebekah argued, her blood starting to boil as well. "We've only had each other. No husbands, wives, children; only blood and death because that is what Niklaus has lead us to."

"The concept of marriage is for the weak and pathetic. To bear children in a world they cannot survive is cruel. We were given a chance to be eternal and powerful. We do not have to fear death. Nothing can kill an Original, and nothing can kill Niklaus. Stop trying to get your hopes up because those are pathetic too."

"Alright that's quite enough," Elijah intercepted, stepping between the sisters. "Both of you. You're each being childish. I never know if you're around to aid Klaus or kill him, Rebekah. Similar to how I never know if Daciana's undying fealty is to Klaus of Lucifer. In the name of our family, enough."

Rebekah's face contorted with anger again. "What family? We're four distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline." She paused and added, after looking to Daciana, "Some of us if barely at all. I, for one, hope they've found a way to make that traitorous bastard rot."

Daciana's fangs had already snapped out, her emerald eyes threatening to turn a deep red. "No matter what comes of this supposed 'family', what Niklaus does, or what Lucifer promises, I will _always_ be loyal to Niklaus. No matter what." She looked to both of her siblings before retracting her fangs and vanishing.

* * *

Lethia's eyes had been captivated by the city from the moment she stepped foot into it. She'd only been to New Orleans once for the quickest time a long time ago, and she didn't even have her blonde hair in public. The only thing to keep her grounded as she felt the old and strange memories resurfacing slowly, the lights dancing across her amber eyes, was Klaus' warm hand keeping a firm hold on hers. She refocused when a door closed behind them and the scent of whiskey and gumbo hit her nose. Someone had just finished singing karaoke and Klaus had his eyes set on the man. As the man made his way through the applauding crowd, Lethia started to brace herself for a fight.

"Klaus," the stranger acknowledged.

"Marcel," Klaus returned rather coldly. The entire building had fallen silent.

"Must be a hundred years since that nasty business with your papa."

"Has it been that long?"

Lethia casually cracked her knuckles at her sides as Klaus and Marcel approached one another slowly. "The way I recall it, he ran you outta town. Left a trail of dead vampires in his wake." Marcel's words caused her fangs to slowly start to extend.

"And yet how fortunate you managed to survive. My father, I'm afraid, I recently incinerated to dust."

Klaus' aggressive tone alerted Marcel's companions to stand and ready themselves for a possible confrontation. Lethia's eyes darted around to do the math and found that there were much more than just a few of them, as half the restaurant got on its feet. Her lips started to pull into a smirk; she hadn't expected for Klaus to bring her as backup. She could have sworn the trip was supposed to be a punishment.

"Well, if I'd known you were coming back in town," Marcel started, eyes flicking to Lethia from time to time, "if I had a heads-up-"

"What, Marcel? What would you have done?"

Lethia was just about jogging in place, eyes glinting gold in the light. _Yeah Marcel, and what do you do now?!_ She was ready for a brawl as the two were just about nose to nose. Tension and silence filled the air as everyone waited for the outcome.

"I'd have thrown you a damn parade."

She nearly crumbled to the floor, her mind entirely blown as the two grinned and embraced like long lost brothers. Everyone dispersed and returned to their usual and prior activities, leaving Lethia extra lost. She could have sworn her brain might have popped a blood vessel or something.

"Finally got yourself a girlfriend?" Marcel half teased as he lead the two hybrids towards the back of the building.

Klaus smiled and put an arm around Lethia's shoulders as they walked. "Would you believe me if I said yes? And that she's a Kross wolf?"

Marcel's brows raised, mildly impressed from the rumors he'd heard around. He offered a smile to her as they sat down at a private table. "So you must be _the_ Kross wolf, right? SuperNova's not so little 'lil wolf'?"

She shrugged a little. "It was actually a couple of drunk assholes who called us that the first time before we got pissed and ate them…"

He laughed, almost commending her. "Wow. I gotta say, I didn't think there was any truth to it all. A Vasile and a Kross wolf? That kind of stuff was bedtime stories."

"But the Originals you all believe." She nearly sweatdropped.

Klaus decided to change the subject. "I see your friends are daywalkers."

"Yeah, yeah, I shared the secret of your daylight ring with a few buddies. Just the inner circle, though - the family."

"Tell me: how did you find a witch willing to make daylight rings?"

"I got the witches around here wrapped around my finger."

Klaus chuckled. "Is that so? I'm looking for a witch by the name of Jane-Anne Deveraux. Has some business with me."

"You're looking for Jane-Anne? You probably oughta come with me."He stood and laughed, seeming to get some kind or excitement suddenly. "Haha, showtime!"

Lethia's eyes widened, finding Marcel's personality a bit off-putting. Klaus stood and kissed the top of her head. "You are to stay put here, understand? Get something to eat and open a tab at the bar under my name. I don't care if you've put on ten pounds and are the most bloody drunk you have ever been so long as no one is dead or bleeding. Got it?"

She rolled her eyes up at him with a playful smile. "Yeah, yeah, message received. Go terrify and torture the witch community of New Orleans while I eat and drink my lack of feelings in your name."

Once they were gone she heaved a sigh and made her way back to the front. She found a quiet spot at the bar towards the end that no one seemed to sit near and took it for herself. Barely a moment later the waitress/bartender approached her with a smile. "What can I get for you, sweetheart?"

Lethia's eyes flicked quick to her nametag; _Camille._ She shyly rubbed the back of her neck as she looked up to the woman. "To be honest, I've only been to New Orleans once a very long time ago and I was only passing through. I have no idea what to do here now except open a tab in my boyfriend's name."

"Then how about we start you off right with our signature gumbo?" Cami smiled bright. "Goes great with whiskey."

Surprisingly, Lethia mimicked her smile. "Sounds alright to me."

While Cami was off getting the gumbo and silverware, the young hybrid looked around the bar mesmerizingly. She could hear amazing jazz from every corner, just about every person was smiling or laughing; she wondered why she hadn't stuck around longer all those years ago. What had she even been doing in New Orleans? When was it again?

" _Adi,"_ a young girl's voice echoed in her mind suddenly. " _teie juuksed tunduvad lollad!"_

" _This is America, Lets. I know you know some English. Let us try and impress the Americans."_

" _Your hair looks stupid, vend."_

Cami's return shook Lethia from the possible memory trying to resurface. She ignored the entire thing and grinned at the gumbo as the other blonde poured a glass of whiskey on the rocks. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look _really_ tired. Like you've been through a lot recently."

Thinking about it made Lethia laugh humorlessly. "I guess I have. To be honest, I don't even know where my best friend is right now or what she's done to herself."

"What are you doing out here then?"

"My idiot boyfriend decided to take a spur of the moment, impromptu road trip and took me with. If I'm being honest, it's to make sure I don't get into whatever my friend is."

"Sounds like this friend of yours is notorious for trouble?"

Lethia talked while she ate, surprisingly enjoying Camille's company in the crowded restaurant. "If it doesn't find her first she goes looking for it. Recently she's had some issues with my boyfriend before we became a thing and she lost a new friend she had made. She's never been good at making friends. But a lot of what she knew about her family turned out to be a lie and it's fueling her warpath from the grief."

As she rambled, Cami put the pieces together carefully. "And you joined her path for a while, didn't you? This other person was relatively close to you both?"

She shrugged. "Jeremy was a great guy. And too young. He brought out something really human in my best friend. I had gotten into an accident around the same time too so we kind of just fell together like we always have."

"The only difference seems to be that you're willing to allow your loved ones to try and help you. The trauma from your accident on top of the pressure from your friend must have been a lot to handle but you're here with your boyfriend instead of making poor choices with that friend. She ran but you're here."

A light started to flicker in Lethia's eyes as Camille's words really hit her. She offered Lethia a smile before going to check on one of the tables. Was that why she was in New Orleans with Klaus: she knew Nova had gone off the rails and she didn't actually want to end up like her? Was she hoping that New Orleans would give her a reason to live again?

She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there when her ears picked up Klaus' voice again. She saw him talking to a rather small, scared looking young woman. Cami had come back up to refill her whiskey and followed her gaze. "Who's that?" Lethia questioned quietly.

"Sophie Deveraux. I actually just heard her sister Jane-Anne was in an accident. She didn't make it."

Lethia's eyes widened slowly with realization.

" _I'm looking for a witch by the name of Jane-Anne Deveraux. Has some business with me."_

Was that Marcel's 'showtime'? Was it because Klaus was looking for her or something totally unrelated? Whatever had happened, the young hybrid knew it was no accident. The supernatural lived amongst humans in New Orleans and still spoon fed them blatant lies. As Sophie walked briskly away, Lethia noticed two men eyeing Klaus suspiciously near her at the bar. Before she stood, Klaus noticed them himself and walked over, gripping them both tightly by the shoulders.

"Are you two gentlemen following me?" He hissed in their ears.

"Marcel said we're your guides…" One replied.

"Oh, he did, did he? He did. Well then, let me be exceedingly clear about something: if either of you follow me again, you'll do so without the benefit of a spine."

With perfect timing Camille walked up to the three with a smile. "Sorry for the wait. If you're here for the gumbo, I'm about to break your heart. We just ran out." She tossed a playful and teasing look to Lethia at the end of the bar.

As the three men looked down the bar to her she realized she'd just finished her bowl and grinned at them all.

* * *

Klaus practically dragged Lethia through the streets of New Orleans and into the French Quarter. She couldn't resist a shiver down her spine. They came to a courtyard where people were partying and enjoying themselves. Klaus' eyes viciously caught sight of something. Lethia sighed when she found what he had; one of Marcel's men wearing the Original family's daylight ring. With his hand still gripped tightly around hers, Klaus forced Lethia forward aggressively up to the man.

"Where is Marcel?" He demanded.

"And who the hell is asking?"

The two hybrids nearly sweatdropped. "That's a joke, right?" Lethia questioned.

The man sneered at her. "I only answer to Marcel."

"Well then, in that case perhaps you'll answer to this." Klaus released Lethia's hand to grab the man by the neck as his face vamped out, eyes turning bright gold. His voice rose steadily with each word until he was shouting. "You're aware the bite of a werewolf can kill a vampire? Well, as you can see, I'm half werewolf, so I'm gonna ask you one more time: where is Marcel?!"

Marcel came scrambling forward hastily. "He-hey, I'm right here, I'm right here, e-e-easy now. Diego's just looking out for me. Nobody harms my guys - those are the rules."

Without batting an eye Klaus turned his anger onto Marcel. "I don't care about your rules, Marcel, and I don't need chaperones. Why are you having me followed?"

Once Klaus released Diego, Marcel guided the two hybrids towards the stairs. "Come here. I get it - a show of force. You've made your point. Let it go friend, ah? For me."

Klaus still was not amused. "Fine. Why don't you show me what you've done with the place, while you explain exactly what it is you've been up to in _my_ town?"

Marcel grinned wide, a gesture that wasn't too keen with Lethia. The three made their way upstairs and to a balcony that overlooked the entire street. "Look at that skyline, huh? That there, that's progress. More hotels, more tourists, more fresh blood. And the humans? I taught them to look the other way."

Lethia's hands held tightly to the railing as she looked out at the view. From time to time the warm wind would blow her hair about gently. She found herself captivated by New Orleans but afraid it was no coincidence. Out of all of the adventures she'd had in the last century, hanging around the Mikaelsons was definitely the most wild. She had been so preoccupied with the sunset and view that she hadn't noticed Klaus staring at her from time to time during his conversation.

"And what of the witches?" he questioned Marcel with his gaze on the other blonde hybrid. "In my time, they were a force to be reckoned with, and now they live in fear. How do you know when they're using magic?"

Marcel smiled a little each time Klaus stared at his girl. "Maybe I got a secret weapon, an ace up my sleeve. Something that gives me complete control over all the magic in this town."

"Hm. Is that a fact?"

"Might be. Maybe I'm just bluffing." He shrugged and put something in his mouth that started to sizzle.

"You take vervain?" Klaus questioned before his eyes wandered back to Lethia.

"Burns like a bitch, but I figure I should limit the number of things I'm vulnerable to. Don't be mad about that chaperone thing. I've told my guys to look out for you, that's all. That's what we do here - look out for each other." He looked over and saw Camille walking home from the bar. He smirked. "Mm, new blood. Bartender, walking alone at night. She's either brave or dumb."

Lethia's attention snapped harshly to Marcel. "Leave her alone. She's a decent woman. She doesn't deserve the troubles of the supernatural."

Marcel snickered lightly down at her. "Ah, I think I'm starting to see what Klaus likes so much about you. Maybe I can find something like that in the bartender."

Before she could react, he had jumped down to interfere with Camille. Her blood started to boil when she realized they were no longer alone on the balcony. "Evening, Elijah," Klaus greeted boredly as Lethia turned to see for herself.

"Niklaus," the elder brother spoke curtly. "Lethia." She nodded in return to him.

"What an entirely unwelcome surprise," Klaus drawled, earning himself an elbow from the blonde beside him.

"And what an entirely unsurprising welcome. Come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere. Not till I find out who's conspiring against me."

"I believe I just found that out for you."

* * *

Elijah lead them to Lafayette Cemetery which also sent chills down Lethia's spine. "What are we doing here?" Klaus barked.

"You wanna know what the witches have in store for you? Follow me."

They begrudgingly continued to follow him until they were walking into one of the mausoleums. Lethia's face immediately scrunched up with the scent of death and bones. She never did care for cemeteries, mostly for being able to smell the rotting and rotted corpses below the ground and in tombs. Being a hybrid she realized she could really smell it all and on top of it she could practically hear the maggots chomping away at whatever flesh was left. Her stomach started to flip and make her queasy.

"Sophie Devereaux," Klaus' voice snapped her from her disgust. "What is this?"

The young hybrid looked around curiously, being sure to remain close to her technical sire. Magic was happening under Marcel's radar, but for how long and for why? "Agreed," she opened her mouth finally, "why did you bring us here, Elijah? What's going on?"

"They're all yours," Elijah instead directed at Sophie. "Proceed."

For a moment Sophie just looked between the two hybrids. She knew she had to proceed and choose her words carefully but she couldn't help the way she felt. "You know you're famous in this town?" She spoke first to Klaus. "Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus. We know Marcel was nothing but an orphan street rat, until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants, he kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him, and you're gonna help me."

Klaus let forward an amused smile before looking down at his less than amused girlfriend. "That's why you brought us here?" Lethia snapped back first, her arms crossed over her chest and converse clad foot tapping impatiently and anxiously on the ground.

"Hear her out," Elijah urged calmly.

"I don't need to hear her out," Klaus quipped in return. "I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this Earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time. Elijah, what madness is this? You know I have more pertinent issues to deal with." He tossed a chastising glance to Lethia.

"Klaus," came a new woman's voice. Lethia's head whipped around to glare at the wolf Hayley. "You need to listen to them."

"How about you eat me?" Lethia snarled, amber eyes igniting gold with anger.

A small flicker of panic emerged within Klaus when he saw Hayley. What business did she have being there or telling him what to do? What significance did she hold anymore? If it was Elijah or Katherine to find out the truth and set it up to come out they sure couldn't have picked a worse time with Lethia's humanity still wavering. It had only been once ever that he screwed up. Over a thousand years and now Klaus had an actual, steady girlfriend. He put a hand on Lethia's shoulder seemingly calmingly but he was just waiting for everything to blow up. It always did, didn't it? Over a thousand years and Klaus Mikaelson still hadn't done _every_ bad thing in existence. Still a few things to add to the list. The air was thick and tense by time Sophie spoke again.

"Marcel may be able to keep up from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance we still know when nature has cooked up something new. For example, I have a special gift… of sensing when a girl is pregnant."

Lethia's breath caught in her lungs and throat as everything around her slowed down. She couldn't react, only listen to everything continuing around her. Klaus had been in just as much disbelief and was starting to get angry. "I know it's impossible…" came Hayley timidly.

"What are you saying?" Klaus barked back.

"Somehow, Niklaus," Elijah started, "you manage to find your way to the impossible."

"No, it's not possible. Vampires cannot procreate."

"But werewolves can," Sophie told him. "Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original hybrid, the first of your kind, and these pregnancies are two of nature's loopholes."

The room fell absolutely silent again with the witch's use of plurals. Lethia's stomach did another nauseating flip and she had to resist the urge to vomit. She took a step away from Klaus and away from all of them, closer to the exit. "Instead of tiptoeing around like a bunch of ballet dancers, how about someone mans up and says what the fuck is going on here?" Her voice shook as much as her arms and legs.

Sophie had the guts to step forward and look her in the eyes. "My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. At first we thought it was just Hayley, but there was more to it. Something… golden. The sign of the Kross wolves. He's worked hard to keep you on the down low because we didn't even know Kross wolves still existed let alone being with Klaus Mikaelson. I thought she was wrong until I saw you in the bar. Somehow the cosmos aligned just right one night for him to get you both pregnant. Congratulations."

Elijah could see the humanity beginning to crack through in Lethia's eyes. Everything around her began to crumble, her heart pounding wildly. She heard Klaus accuse Hayley of sleeping with someone else as if to confirm his infidelity. It couldn't be possible - she was already a hybrid. Half vampire. That should have canceled out the ability to reproduce, shouldn't it have?

"Hey, I've spent days held captive in a freaking alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think I would've fessed up if it wasn't yours?" Hayley argued bravely at Klaus.

Lethia couldn't even hear past that point. Tears threatened to cloud her eyes, her blood ran cold. She wondered if Nova could still feel her immense pain. She was certain she felt Nova's when Jeremy died. Then again all Nova's ever really felt outside of Damon was pain. Did Nova feel the way Lethia was when she found out Damon had been looking for Katherine? Is that the pain Nova felt everytime Katherine was mentioned? Klaus' lips read her name but she couldn't hear the sound. He reached for her, nothing but guilt and sorrow in his face, but she pulled away. Elijah called for her, then Sophie and Hayley. Her lips pulled back, jaw clenched tightly, eyes clamped shut, and she grabbed fistfulls of her hair. Everything inside of her heart and mind shattered.

" _I am taking you to the theatre tonight, Lets. We are going to watch people sing and dance and put on a beautiful show. Doesn't that sound fun, my Little Wolf?"_

"Good God," Hayley choked with a hand over her mouth seeing Lethia's pain spiraling.

The young hybrid inhaled suddenly, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks as her hands dropped to her sides. "God can't help any of us," she sobbed before surprising them all; they figured she was going to run, but they hadn't expected her to shift into a massive, golden wolf first.

* * *

Lethia Kross ran for miles on all fours until she was buried deep into the woods. She shifted back suddenly which caused her to tumble and roll until she landed, crumpled up, in some dirt and crying still. She reached with shaking hands desperately for her pockets until she found her phone. The device read 'no service' back at her but with the press of a few buttons she gave herself full service. She was starting to sob when she pulled up Nova's name on her phone.

She waited through all nine rings until the voicemail message came on. She sniffled and kept crying as she pushed herself up and closer to the embankment of a river. She cursed quietly on the third voicemail message. She'd lost hope by the fourth and took a deep, shaking breath before leaving a voicemail. Maybe she was just coked out of her mind on some bar. Nova would see the calls and voicemail and do… something…

"I don't even know if you'll get this," Lethia started off, "or if you'll give a damn when you do. I don't know if you're coked out of your mind or shredding throats of people who just wanted to go home to their families. Whatever you're doing when you hear this, Nov, I need you. I don't even care if you blew an eight ball before seeing me as long as you fucking find me. Please, Nov. I'm in NOLA with the freakin' Mikaelsons and I don't know what to do anymore. This shit can't be real anymore… this isn't how our lives were supposed to be…"

She had no choice other than to sit there and sob since Nova hadn't answered her. It wasn't something she could go to Damon with, especially since he was hunting down Nova. She saw her reflection in the water and slapped it emotionally, causing a large splash. A young woman's voice with the hint of a Romanian accent caused her to jump.

"Lethia?" Zina Vasile questioned with actual concern and confusion as she looked down at the crying blonde.

She sniffled as she stared up at the face that reminded her of Nova. They were deeply similar, being twins, but even having never met Zina Lethia could see the differences. Nova's cheekbones were higher and more pointed like Alina's; Zina's had started to become that but dropped a little low and rounded over softly giving her a more youthful appearance. Her hair fell in long, raven waves that bounced with half the life Nova's usually would. Zina was curvy like her mother and sister, but she had a little more in the stomach and thighs and her hips were wider.

 _Is that what childbirth when you were human did to your body?_ Something in the back of Lethia's mind wondered.

"Nova isn't here for you to haunt," she found her voice before turning her back on the ravenette. "I couldn't tell you where she is either…"

"To tell you the truth," Zina muttered as she looked at her hands, "I didn't expect that to work. I think those hunter boys would say my spirit is getting more malevolent." She snorted and rolled her eyes. "You're right, I had expected my sister. The veil to the Other Side is weakening and I'm getting stronger I guess. Something else brought me to you though; you don't have my bracelet on you." She walked up closer behind the blonde and looked at her reflection in the river water. When Lethia met her gaze in the water she saw something in the hybrid's eyes that gave her her answer. Silently she sat beside the blonde, looking into the water. "Do you believe there is a demimonde, Lethia? A half world between what we know and what we fear? A place in the shadows, rarely seen, but deeply felt. Do you believe that?"

Lethia blinked a couple of times, pondering what she meant. After a minute she curled her knees to her chest and shrugged. "I suppose. Isn't that what the Other Side is?"

"Not quite. The Other Side was placed with intention by magic and witches. There is the light, and what we know - basic humanity originating from Adam and Eve. But there is also darkness and what we fear, what we do not know fully - that is the supernatural of all kinds. Humans can cross into the darkness; dabble in magic, become a vampire. But there is something between it all that is worse than Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory burning fires. Sometimes that inbetween likes to spit things out. You think my family came from nothing and nowhere? I suspect that's where your troubles stem from as well. I know it once did for myself."

She continued to stare ahead at her watery reflection. "It's not possible…" She muttered. "It's just not. I'm half vampire now. Klaus has been for a thousand years."

Zina reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "I was just as terrified and in denial when I discovered I was with child too, Lethia. It couldn't have been true. There was darkness, nothing but darkness in my heart. We yearn for the comfort of light, as it provides shape and form, allowing us to recognize, to define what's before us. But what is it we're afraid of, really? Not the darkness itself, but the truth we know hides within."

"This… this isn't truth, Zina. None of this. We're not friends having a riveting conversation to make me feel better, I am not pregnant with some supernatural miracle baby, and everything else in my life is not going to shit. Any minute now I'm going to wake up on my plane ride to Virginia and go fight Klaus and Stefan with Nova again."

By the end, her voice was cracking so badly with tears that it actually touched Zina's heart. She recalled how it felt to be human and finding out she was pregnant with a strange man's child against her will. "It's okay to be scared out of your mind," she spoke softly. "To feel like you'll never stop crying… to keep telling yourself it's not real… it's okay. At some point you'll realize it's true, and it's still okay to cry."

Lethia looked sheepishly with her teary eyes to the Romanian spirit. "When did you realize it was true…?"

"When Katherine told me she could hear the second heartbeat. An infant's heart start beating and loud enough for a vampire's ears to pick up around six weeks."

"I've never heard anything though…"

She smiled a little. "You wouldn't just out of the blue, not so soon. You became a hybrid, what, like a month ago? You have no practice and you wouldn't hear it over your own without purposely looking for it. What you can find, however, is the light on your cheeks and something new in your eyes."

Lethia remained quiet for a minute, slowly relaxing and letting her legs out. "If it's real… I could really hear it?"

"Lay down and relax. Calm your own heartbeat and listen for one not on the same pattern. It'll be softer, but faster. You'll hear it if it's there, trust me."

She scooted back, away from the water, and eased herself onto the cool grass. She took a deep breath staring up at the sky and trees. Slowly, her eyes closed. She focused on the way she breathed. She heard her heartbeat slowing down as she relaxed into the coolness of the dewy grass. Zina watched the hybrid intently, biting her bottom lip anxiously. She almost didn't hear it, but Lethia's eyes snapped open as soon as her ears heard the small, second heartbeat coming from her body. It was the final hammer on her humanity, bringing light back into her teary amber eyes. Zina smiled down at Lethia's epiphany, vanishing slowly into dark purple smoke.

* * *

It was long past nightfall when Lethia's converses padded slowly back towards the French Quarter. She could hear the loud music and smell the blood and liquor. She'd contemplated her options equally, including taking the sliver of time she had to flee. If Katherine Pierce could run from Klaus for half a millennia then why couldn't she? Klaus was just as in denial about the possibility of children, he'd never even know. Then she thought of Zarya, an innocent human girl who got dragged through the supernatural and her first instinct was to bail. Nova's always jumped city to city and country to country. Even when she finally got all she wanted it still wasn't enough to get her through pain. All of her siblings and cousins ran from their lives, their traditions, each other.

Lethia Kross was not going to run. Not that time, not ever again.

"You know I owe you everything I got," she heard Marcel's voice growing louder and the music quieting, "but I'm afraid I have to draw the line on this one. This is _my_ business. I control the witches in my town. Let's just leave it at that."

She stood in the doorway behind the crowd just watching. Klaus and Marcel were in each other's faces again, but she was certain it wasn't ending up like it had at the bar. She could practically feel Klaus getting angry. "Your town?"

"Damn straight."

"That's funny, because when I left a hundred years ago, you were just a pathetic little scrapper still trembling from the lashes of the whips of those who would keep you down, and now look at you. Master of your domain. Prince of the city." The music stopped entirely, every whisper falling silent. "I'd like to know how."

"Why? Jealous? Hey, man, I get it. Three hundred years ago, you helped build a backwater penal colony into something. You started it, but then you left. Actually, you ran from it. I saw it through. Look around. Vampires rule this city now. We don't have to live in the shadows like rats. The locals know their place. They look the other way. I got rid of the werewolves. I even found a way to shut down the witches. The blood never stops flowing and the party never ends. You wanna pass on through? You wanna stay a while? Great. What's mine is yours, but it is _mine_. My home, my family, my rules."

She had wanted to remain quiet, to just watch, but someone would need to sew her mouth shut first. One hand ended up on her hip, a fire igniting in her amber eyes. She took a daring step forward which stirred the murmurs back up. "And if someone breaks those rules?" Her increasing anger caused more of her old Estonian accent to come through in her words. Her pale lips pulled into a smirk seeing Marcel stiffen at the sound of her voice.

He turned slowly, standing so he could look between both hybrids still, not trusting either fully. Something had changed in Lethia, something that made her more daring; more brave. A brave Kross wolf wasn't exactly something to trifle with. "They die." He replied to her before turning directly to Klaus. "Mercy is for the weak. You taught me that, too. And I'm not the prince of the Quarter, friend." His voice rose to a demanding shout. "I'm the king! Show me some respect!"

"Respect is earned, _sõber_ ," Lethia hissed, her eyes glowing bright gold.

For a moment Klaus just looked around at all of Marcel's little followers. Then his gaze landed on Lethia. Something had changed in her after the cemetery. It was obvious to anyone that she was still seething at him, but there she was anyway. She could have ran and forced him to drop everything to hunt her for who knows how long, but there she was. She knew what she wanted, he just had to figure out what it was. Whatever the cost, he would protect her. In a flash Klaus had one of Marcel's men and tore viciously into his throat. Gasps and horror spread across the crowd as the body dropped, his blood dripping from Klaus' mouth.

"Your friend will be dead by the weekend, which means I've broken one of your rules. And yet I cannot be killed. I _am_ immortal. Who has the power now, friend?"

When he turned back, Lethia was gone. He noticed that it even seemed to set Marcel more on edge. There was something about Lethia that bothered him, scared him even. After Klaus stormed out he wandered the streets in the hopes of seeing Lethia again, but instead ran into the bartender Camille. Above, on the balcony of a tall building, Lethia sat on the railing watching. She could hear Camille psychoanalyzing the artist and the painting in the street. Her feet dangled off the edge as she watched Camille's words unintentionally affect Klaus. Beside her, purple smoke started to form until Zina appeared leaning against the rail beside the blonde.

"That veil is getting pretty thin, huh?" The hybrid smirked a little. Klaus had vanished, leaving Cami confused.

Zina mimicked her smirk as she also looked around at New Orleans. "A girl gets bored, you know?"

"Shouldn't you be running the other way though? Trying harder to terrorize Nova before Silas completely destroys the Other Side so Klaus doesn't try to rip your heart out _again_?"

She laughed a little humorlessly. "Klaus killed me because he'd known what had become of me. He knew I was a Vasile and thought that was his ticket to the top of the top. Everyone does. They're under this twisted impression that the Vasiles are magnificent, endless."

"What gives you the idea that they're not? Because Felix and Alina kept Nova and you ended up with Katherine Pierce?"

"There's plenty of things I know that most don't, Lethia. I have been dead for quite some time, allowing me to see things I could not have if Klaus hadn't killed me."

Her eyes widened a little as they still stared ahead. "Like… like your child?"

Zina was quiet for a long moment before solemnly answering, "Yes. A daughter. And if you were wondering, yes she is still alive. She can thank the bastard who raped me for that."

Lethia looked at her through the corner of her eyes. "Are you purposely seeking me out because I'm pregnant, Zina? As much as I'd love answers about your life, quite frankly, I'm done looking into the history of the Vasiles. The Kross wolves have it confusing enough…"

"I'm here this time to warn you to keep that child away from any Vasile. That includes my dear sister."

"Why would you say such a thing?"

"Because it is the truth. When Lucifer fell, he did not fall alone. Though Remiel remained in Heaven for some time, she was still corrupt. She lost faith. True evil is, above all things, seductive. When the devil looks at the Vasiles it is not under the shroud of cloven hooves. He is beautiful. The beauty that Remiel looked up to and admired."

"What would Lucifer and the Vasiles want with my child?"

"The child will be special, will it not? Born of the blood of a Kross wolf and North East Atlantic turned into the very first hybrid. Turned by magic that runs in Mikaelson blood. That child in your belly will have fangs, paws, and magic. It will belong to not one clan and bring either great peace or mass destruction. For a Crescent wolf to be with child of essentially the same just gives me a migraine. But you, Lethia, were turned with Mikaelson and Vasile blood. Just as it is vampire, wolf, and witch your child will be Kross, Mikaelson, and Vasile."

Her breath caught in her chest just as she saw Klaus sitting with Elijah a ways off down some streets. She hadn't thought of the Vasile blood that had always been bound to her own blood then helped turn her into a hybrid. She was carrying a true tri-brid child. What would Lucifer and Remiel want with her child anyway? It'd barely be a third Vasile, barely a third vampire. But what did she really know? Details about the Vasile clan and Lucifer were still emerging. She couldn't go back to Estonia (or most of Europe for that matter). There will still people hunting her for being Nova's right hand. She had a baby to protect.

Lethia's head dipped low, her hair covering her face. Her mind was swirling with awful thoughts and conclusions. Somehow, she managed to pick out Klaus' voice through most of the city.

"I forgot how much I liked this town," he told Elijah.

"I didn't forget. All the centuries we've spent together, and yet I can count on one hand the number of times that our family has been truly happy. I hated leaving here."

"As did I."

Zina started to vanish into the purple smoke again so Lethia jumped down. She took a great leap in the direction of the brothers, enjoying the wind through her hair before her feet touched the ground. She closed her eyes and walked towards them silently, listening to everything and smelling all of the food. She swore it was almost familiar to her somehow.

"What's on your mind, brother?"

"For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere, our father would hunt me down and… chase me off. He made me feel powerless, and I hated it. This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me. I believed he perished in that theatre fire and yet here he is with everything that was once mine."

"You chose to selflessly save a child's life that night, Niklaus. With father coming after you and your protectiveness over Marcellus I was deeply floored when you emerged with that little girl in your arms instead of Marcellus or father's head. What is it you want now, Niklaus?"

"I want what he has. I want to be king. Bloody hell I even thought I could have that through the damn Vasiles. I made one mistake with Hayley. It doesn't change that I still want Lethia to be my queen."

" _You chose to selflessly save a child's life that night, Niklaus."_

Lethia stopped suddenly, still unnoticed by them both. She was baffled by Elijah's comments; Klaus saved the life of a little girl in a fire? The fire that separated them and Marcel because Mikael was hunting them. That had to have been, what, barely 1920?

" _Adi! Tuli! Tuli!"_

" _English in America, Lets. I know it is very exci-"_

" _Fire, Adi! I can smell smoke!"_

That was it… that was how she knew New Orleans. She hadn't thought about her oldest brother Adrus in decades. No, she wouldn't add that to the list of realizations and truths she discovered in the past eight hours or so. She was too fried to take on that right then.

"So what of the girls and the children?" Elijah's voice broke her from her thoughts.

Klaus was quiet for a long while, still completely oblivious to Lethia right behind him. He couldn't resist the small smile that forced its way to his lips. "Every king needs heirs."

"It's called family, Nik," she spoke at last, causing both brothers to jump to their feet. "Family cares about you. Not what you can do for them. Family is there through the good, the bad, all of it. They got your back."

Elijah gave her a gentle smile before looking at his brother. "Family above all, Niklaus."

Klaus was clearly on edge seeing Lethia so suddenly. He chose his words carefully. "What's that mean for you then?"

She shrugged and looked around at all of the city lights, her lips twitching toward an unrelenting smile. "If you can pull your head out of your ass so we can work on the issues that we clearly have," she looked him in the eye with a wolfish smile and light in her amber eyes, "then family above all I guess. I mean," she turned her back to them dramatically, "depending on what credentials I need for that 'always and forever' gig. Does miracle baby and adorable dimples qualify? Because it still trumps Kol."

The brothers smiled at her attitude, able to tell clearly her humanity had returned. At first she gave Klaus the finger but then laughed and let him hug her. _Who knew you would find your way back to my brother, Little Wolf,_ Elijah thought.

* * *

"You look terrible."

Elena looked up to see Damon and found some strength to roll her eyes. "I'm hungry. Not that you care."

"But I do. That's the whole point. I do care, you don't care. It's about time for that to change."

He offered her a blood bag and her eyes widened. She reached for it hungrily in one quick motion, moaning with pleasure as she drank it. Her face changed, realizing something else was in the liquid as well. She started spitting out the blood when it burned her mouth.

"Vervain?"

"You're weak enough to feel it now. How does that make you feel? Hurt because I'd betray you? Angry because I'd cause you pain? Or scared, because you know it's gonna get a lot worse?"

Elena sped towards him but stopped when she saw Stefan standing in the doorway. She nodded curtly and stepped back. "You boys wanna play games? Go ahead. Let's see who breaks first. Me… or you. Because I know I'm nothing but practice and hopes and prayers for Nova. And you know these cheap tricks won't work on her."

They looked at her emotionlessly, resisting the urge to react, before walking out and closing the heavy door behind them.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm alive and I'm married! Woo! Lmao

If I decide to do an Originals spin off for Lethia, I would totally explain the resolution between her and Klaus. Everything would be in depth. If that's a thing you guys would like to see in the future, drop me some comments and let me know! I've played with the idea but haven't been certain about doing it. If I don't do a spin off then explanations will be given randomly throughout this and _Devil in Me_ lmao

Finally getting to the end of season 4 however which rather excites me. I'll try to be more frequent now that I'm not planning a wedding LOL

Stay tuned, check my Facebook, and leave reviews!  
Thank you to everyone favoriting and following!

xoxo  
KurakiChan


	43. I'm Losing My Mind Today

**A/N:** Back again, bitches! I told you guys, I'm seeing this shit through. I'm too deep into it to give up now anyways LOL

Finally coming to the end though. After the end of season 4 here and 9 for Supernatural in _Devil in Me_ I am taking a little break. I'll decide how long when I get there but I need to plan the next parts accordingly and I plan to start a new original novel. I had once written a Supernatural fanfic I don't believe I ever posted called _Drag Me to Perdition_ so I was considering using that for the title of my original novel. Guess we'll see. Super indecisive LOL

Thank you as always to those sticking around, waiting for updates, following, favoriting, and reviewing; you're all awesome!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

04x21 She's Come Undone

* * *

43: I'm Losing My Mind Today.

"Elena, you're here!" Caroline smiled bright at her as they walked. They were at school, the entire crowd outside with some heading in. "I got valedictorian! You can help me write my speech."

Something cold was still in Elena's dark eyes. Her face was unreadable and expressionless. "Pass."

"Come on, we're graduating this year. This is it! We need to soak up every second before-"

She stopped suddenly, her brows coming together. "Something isn't right. I don't want to be here."

Damon appeared behind Elena just then. "What is wrong with you?" He sounded exasperated. "Don't you want to be with your friends? Graduation parties, caps, gowns, you know the drill."

The brunette rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "What is this, Damon?" She looked around and noticed that all of the students have disappeared. "We're not really here, are we? We're in my head."

"Relax. I just wanted to show you all of the things that you've been missing since you took a giant leap over the cuckoo's nest."

Elena dropped her bag onto the ground, thinking back. "The last thing I remember…"

"Let me guess, prom? Beautiful dress, gorgeous hair, you and Lethia trying to murder Bonnie?"

Her lips turned into an angry, spiteful frown. "Daciana swooping in like she's some hero followed by you and Stefan starving me."

"Yeah, well, we had to keep you weak so I could bring you here. See, the way I figure it is, if I can make you nostalgic, then you're already halfway to getting your humanity back."

"It's not gonna work, Damon. This cheap trick didn't work on me, it's certainly not gonna work on Nova. Have you ever really been able to dig into her head? Have you ever actually seen the darkness inside? Or has she always been stronger than you?"

Damon refused to let her see a reaction. He kept his face stone cold regardless of the anger bubbling behind his eyes. "Well, there are other ways to provoke an emotional response."

* * *

The entire scene vanished with a loud bang suddenly. Elena awoke groggily, realizing after a moment that she was tied to a chair on the main level of the boarding house. The room was dimly lit with all of the curtains closed. Stefan walked around the room unable to look away from Elena. She realized the noise that woke her had been Damon bringing in a large fire extinguisher and dropping it loudly next to her. She snarled at both of them.

"Good, you're awake," Damon smirked. "The cellar and the box wouldn't do so we're trying something new today. Thought you could use a little sunshine."

Stefan's hand wrapped around the curtain directly across from her, pulling it back slowly. The light crept through and towards her. She looked down at her hand, finding her ring no longer on her finger. "Looking for this?" Damon taunted her by holding her daylight ring in front of her. She tried to reach for it but her restraints wouldn't allow her. "Oh, you know the rules; bad girls don't get nice jewelry."

Stefan released the curtain, darkening the room again. Elena looked between both of them impassively. "You took my ring. I'm devastated. And bored. Can I go back to solitary now? Like I already told you, whatever cheap tricks you want to try on me will never work on Nova. You'll be lucky if you ever catch her, let alone get her necklace off if it hasn't made her totally immune by then."

The elder brother licked his teeth, biting back some angry reply. "No. I like you in the hot seat. Whenever you're ready, brother."

"You're not gonna burn me," Elena rolled her eyes as Stefan reached for the curtain.

"You don't think so?"

"No. And even if you do, by some miracle, get my emotions back, I'll remember all of this. And I'll hate both of you for it."

The brothers exchanged a look and both shrugged. "Worth the risk," Damon deemed.

Stefan pulled the curtain back enough for the light to land on her hand and arm. She started yelling in pain as her skin bubbled and burned before igniting. They let the fire burn for a couple of seconds before Damon picked up the extinguisher and started to spray while Stefan dropped the curtain back down. "Bet that feels better, right, Elena?" Stefan tried.

"How about a little gratitude?" Added Damon. "Or any human emotion whatsoever and we can stop this?" Her head had slumped down, dark locks covering her face. She muttered something. "I didn't quite catch that."

Elena was silent a moment before her shoulders began to shake. A strange noise began coming from her; she was laughing. As her head rose and her hair fell back they could see that her irises had turned entirely black. "I asked if you've even heard from Nova at all." She smirked.

* * *

Stiletto heels tapped hastily down an empty street. Carina kept looking over her shoulder as she put her phone to her ear. "It's done," she told the person on the other line spitefully. "Nova Vasile has found a more addictive and better high than cocaine."

In New Orleans, Klaus looked down at a sleeping Lethia in their bed with his phone to his ear. He stepped onto their little balcony and shut the French doors behind him. "Magnificent work then, Carina. Unfortunately it's rather late, took quite some time to work out. Nova is no longer my biggest concern."

"That is not my problem, Niklaus," she hissed back at him. "I did as you once requested of me. I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain - protection from Lucifer, angels, Vasiles, get me back off the damn grid. I'd been possessed by a Knight of Hell which is what threw a kink into my plans. So sorry." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm actually rather surprised you haven't jumped on the Vasile bandwagon seeking protection from them. Thought they were trying to form their own little gang." He chuckled.

"The Vasiles that remain on this Earth today do not know how to work together. Let alone led by some insignificant little human girl. I haven't got much to live for since these imbeciles killed Kol. Why would I give a damn about the family of lunatics who brought this upon themselves? I'm going back off the radar. You know where to find me and keep it that way."

* * *

"So that went well," Stefan commented as they leaned against Damon's Camaro outside.

Damon took a large swig of the bourbon in his hand. "Every other vampire turns it on, no problem. You kill, you feed, you do all the awful things that a vampire does, and then when you're done you turn it back on. Why is she being so stubborn?"

Seeing the grip his brother had on the bottle, Stefan swiped it from his hand before he could break or throw the glass. He took a swig before answering. "Because she has nothing to come back to. Her home's gone, her family's gone, she alienated her friends, she destroyed her relationships, Nova completely-"

"No," Damon cut him off before he could talk about the Romanian. "She wants to come back. Scaring the hell out of her should have worked but she's smart. She knows we're not gonna hurt her."

"All right," the olive eyed brother shrugged, "so we get somebody else. Somebody who really will hurt her."

"Who though?" The way Stefan looked at him made him scowl with the thought. " _Katherine?_ "

"Think about it: she's the reason Jeremy is dead right? So if anybody's going to provoke a reaction, it would be her."

"So we call her and then what? Beg her to help us out of the kindness of her own heart? Are you kidding me?"

"Katherine was just abandoned by Elijah. She has nothing, no one. We invite her into our house to come torture Elena? There's no way she would turn that down."

Deciding it wasn't the worst idea, Stefan made the call to Katherine while Damon's finger hovered over Lethia's contact ID. He wanted nothing more than to call Nova directly, but he knew better. Finally, he pressed her name and the call began going through. One ring, two, three, then four and five. He was about to hang up when the ringing stopped. No voicemail message began. It sounded like the phone was shuffling around.

"Damon?" came a tired sounding Lethia on the other line.

His eyes widened with surprise. "Thea… I, uh, I didn't think you'd answer, honestly."

Lethia sat up in her bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. A smile started forming on her pale lips. "You don't have to worry about that anymore, D."

Something in her voice, in the small handful of words she'd spoken, sounded so different than the last time Damon heard her voice. A flicker of hope sparked in his eyes. "You sound different, Thea. You sound… better. Where are you?"

She let out a sigh. "I'm in New Orleans with Klaus. He didn't trust me by myself or with Elena and Nova anymore so he dragged me away and it was actually a really good thing he did."

"Why's that?"

"I got a bit of a scare here… something…" She bit her lip nervously. "Something that actually made my humanity come back."

Stefan had returned and tried to talk to Damon but he held a hand up. "You're serious, Thea?" He looked at his brother, a smile starting to grow. The younger brother's eyes widened, realizing Damon was talking happily to Lethia. "You've got your humanity back? What happened?"

" _What?_ " Stefan mouthed.

She started to laugh a little, clearly nervous but excited about something. "All right, I'll tell you, but _only you!_ I really don't need something like this getting out. You gotta promise me you'll keep your stupid cake hole shut, D."

He didn't have to mention that Stefan was right beside and could obviously hear. "Yeah, yeah, not a peep. Scout's honor, wolfy."

Lethia was silent for so long they almost thought she hung up or the call dropped. But when Damon checked he was still on the line. "I…" She finally spoke in the smallest voice they'd ever heard. "I'm freakin' pregnant, D." They could hear that she was starting to cry saying it out loud to someone. "I've got some magic, tri-brid baby growing inside me right now. Gods, I can even hear the stupid little heartbeat. You know it's fast as hell? I think I counted about 165 beats per minute last night."

Their jaws dropped. Everything in Mystic Falls seemed to just stop for a minute. Lethia almost thought they hung up, the call dropped, or they dropped dead. She had to ask if he was still there, biting on her thumb nail. "Y-yeah, Thea, I'm still here. You just have to give me like, a decade to process this." He chuckled a little to lighten her mood. "I could _maybe_ understand a little better if you were still just wolf, but you and Klaus are both hybrids. Shouldn't the vampire had canceled it all out in both of you?" He couldn't help but make a face at thinking about Lethia having sex with Klaus Mikaelson.

"That's exactly why I freaked out when I found out. It turns out he had actually slept with that Hayley Marshall wolf chick the same night so…"

The brothers both made faces. "Uh…"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, pregnant or not I knocked his ass around for that bullshit. And he let me do it until I'd gotten all the anger out. But my clan, my breed of wolves, we're made to reproduce. I had like six brothers and two sisters. My mom was one of fourteen, my dad one of fifteen. Klaus was born wolf just as I was to a very strong pack. Who knew werewolves had so much fight to survive and breed in them?"

Damon ran a hand through his hair. He was filled with his own emotions at the news. A smirk started tugging at his lips. "This baby of yours…" He started.

Lethia grinned bright. "Can't wait to meet uncle Damon and aunt Nova." They had started to smile at the thought, then remembered Nova's situation. The smiles didn't last long. "Have you… have you heard from Nova?"

His expression dropped. "Actually, I had hoped that you have recently. We're trying to get Elena to turn it back on now but it's not working so well."

The blonde hybrid had gotten out of her bed and leaned against the balcony doorway. Her hazel eyes looked out at New Orleans with a sorrow behind them. "I wish I could help you, D. I really do. But if you can't wake Elena… you might as well stop trying to find Nova. She'll find us when she needs us."

* * *

Old eyeliner and mascara caked eyes slowly pried themselves open. The emerald eyes revealed looked dead and exhausted. Dark purple circles were clear beneath the smeared and flaking makeup. Her raven hair was lifeless and knotted all over as she sat up slowly. She was in a motel bed, the sheets construed and several things broken. As the daze and confusion slowly wore down, she could smell blood. Some fresh still, some hours or days old. Her eyes made their way around the room. Bodies laid all over the floor, slumped against walls and some in chairs. Their throats were shredded, blood splattered across everything. Nova Vasile was starting to fall too far.

The Romanian forced herself to her feet, her shoes still on. She grabbed her keys, phone, handbag, and leather jacket before stumbling towards the door. As soon as her ass hit the driver's seat of her Firebird, police began rolling up. She turned the key, the car roaring to life, and started backing out before more arrived. They all flooded in with ambulances and crime scene investigators, completely ignorant to Nova pulling away. Once she was a safe distance away, she checked her phone at a red light. She had a voicemail and missed calls from Lethia.

"" _I don't even know if you'll get this,"_ Lethia's shaking voice started on the recording, " _or if you'll give a damn when you do. I don't know if you're coked out of your mind or shredding throats of people who just wanted to go home to their families. Whatever you're doing when you hear this, Nov, I need you. I don't even care if you blew an eight ball before seeing me as long as you fucking find me. Please, Nov. I'm in NOLA with the freakin' Mikaelsons and I don't know what to do anymore. This shit can't be real anymore… this isn't how our lives were supposed to be…"_

Nova nearly missed the green light listening to the message. She kept driving when she found she had a second voicemail from just a handful of hours ago. Her brows furrowed as the message began, and halfway through she ended up needing to pull over to the side of the road.

" _I'm the biggest idiot for calling again, I know. But you'll hear these someday, Nova. I just talked to Damon. They're trying to get Elena to turn her humanity back on. Gods only knows what they'll try to do so. I don't know if you're in New York or Denver or some other country, but I trust that you'll find one of us again one day. For the day that you do, you better come with a present in hand for your niece or nephew. I'll probably leave another pointless voicemail if your number is still active when I find out. Come back to us, Nov. Please."_

Sitting on the side of some road with her engine idling, Nova stared out the windshield with a blank expression. She talked to Damon recently? Was he okay? What were they doing to her progeny? _Niece or nephew?_ She looked down at her phone again, an email coming up to confirm her flight out of the country. She stared at the email before unlocking her phone and canceling the flight. Something began to stir in Nova but no one else was around to see it before she choked it back down. She hastily put in her map app to direct her to Mystic Falls before speeding down the road.

* * *

"I didn't have to say anything." Elena spat at Katherine. "Look at you: self-obsessed egomaniac on the run for five centuries. What good would you be to anyone? You're the definition of damaged goods. No wonder Elijah left you."

Katherine's brow arched with a sick, angry curiosity. "Yeah, I've done some pretty horrible things to survive, but unlike you," she pinned Elena to the wall by her throat, "poor, delicate Elena, I don't turn it off. I deal with it. You wouldn't last a week as a vampire without everyone fawning over you." She shoved Elena into the safe and went to lock it, her hand resting over the lock thoughtfully. "But I'd _love_ to see you try…" She smirked and turned away without locking the safe.

She made her way upstairs and tossed back a shot of bourbon. She could see Damon sitting on the couch nearby. "All that pain and torture, I've worked up quite a thirst."

"It didn't have anything to do with the fact that Elena called you out on your recent boy trouble, could it?" He smirked. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear."

Katherine couldn't resist herself. Damon was so vulnerable without his precious Nova. "Did you ever think Elena would have been better off if she'd never met you?"

"Are you trying to get a ride out of _me_? Because my emotions are fine."

"Are they though?" She smirked as she walked towards the cough. "Maybe instead you considered that Nova wouldn't be strung out like some junkie and shredding through humans without her humanity if you'd only ignored her that day she fell off the boat puking."

Damon got to his feet, scowling at the Bulgarian. "I love Nova. I despise you."

"Mm, so romantic, so doomed to fail. You know as soon as Elena goes back to her old self she'll run right to Stefan, crying like a child. And I'm pretty sure everyone but you has realized Nova is past saving at this point."

"Nova is _never_ past saving. This might be the lowest she's ever been at, but she's still standing taller than you in your knock off Prada heels."

Before Katherine could retort, Stefan ran into the room. "She's gone."

"What?"

"Elena's not in her cell. I'm gonna check the grounds. Find out what she did." He tossed a glare to Katherine before running out the door.

"Oops," Katherine smirked and shrugged. "Did I forget to lock her in? Let's just say I've lost interest in Elena's recovery. I'd rather watch her follow in her maker's footsteps and tear through an orphanage. Imagine trying to come back from a spiral like _that._ "

* * *

Elena made it down a road near the woods. She tried flagging down cars weakly but no one would stop for her. Finally, a truck did. She started begging for help when she realized the driver was Matt. He tried to talk to her, but she only cared about her hunger. She kept feeding on him so many times that she dragged him into the woods to continue doing so without the risk of anyone driving by. She needed her strength back.

After so long, Matt's human body could only take so much. He laid on the cool grass, barely breathing. "Oh, come on," she groaned, lightly tapping him with her foot, "I barely drained an artery."

Matt forced his eyes open and looked up at her. His vision was blurry from the blood loss. "Elena," he pleaded in barely a whisper, "please stop…"

She ignored him and grabbed him by the collar. Before she could sink her fangs into him, Stefan ran in with vampire speed and pulled him away from her. He ended up being thrown harshly into a nearby tree, hitting his head. "You're cut off," Stefan told Elena, holding her by her throat.

"Let go of me!" She shouted back at him, trying to swing but failing because his arm kept her at bay.

"Stop it."

Damon appeared and pulled Matt off the ground. Surprisingly, his eyes opened slightly in a massive daze. "Enough! You are acting like a little spoiled brat, you know that? You think we can't punish you. Maybe not. But I can sure punish him."

Matt could barely find the will and vision to look over at her. "Elena…" He mouthed more than sound came out.

Stefan let go of her throat and let her stand there like a petulant child. "Seriously? You think this-"

" _Shut up!_ " Damon finally snapped and yelled at her. "I'm done playing nice. I tried doing this Stefan's way, your friends' ways, even my way. You want to know whose method this one is? It's Nova's. Turn your fucking emotions back on right now, Elena, or so help me God I will give you something to be fucking sad about. I will kill Matt Donovan right here in front of you."

Stefan's eyes widened. He took a step towards his brother cautiously. "Damon…"

"Don't 'Damon' me," he snapped back. "She doesn't love anyone? Fine. Prove it. Here's your Nova Vasile worthy ultimatum - putting an innocent life in the balance for an honest reaction."

"You won't do it," a silky but partially destroyed voice echoed through the darkness of the forest. "Come on, _iubițel_. She isn't going to flip that switch that easy."

"Elena…" Matt found a little more voice before Damon hoisted him off his feet by his throat.

A twig snapped, causing everyone to turn their heads for a moment. Nova pulled herself from the shadows, showing everyone just how disheveled she truly was. Damon felt a literal pain in his chest seeing his love in such a way. She'd even managed to lose weight; her perfectly fitting clothes had become noticeably loose on her. "One less busboy," she hissed directly to Damon daringly.

Elena was mildly astounded that she appeared _and_ was daring Damon to take Matt's life. "You're bluffing. You both are."

" _Ucide, iubițel._ " She hissed through decently bloodstained teeth before glaring at Elena. "Do not back down to a bluff or ever."

He literally could not take seeing Nova having fallen to such a state. Without looking away from her and with only one hand he snapped Matt's neck, the sound echoing loudly through the woods. A hiss escaped Nova's lips when Elena let out a gasp, her mouth hanging in shock. Admittedly, she hadn't believed Damon would go through with it. She found an odd sense of pride in it. But she knew better. He announced that it was her own method. She knew exactly what he must have been up to.

"Do not fall and break to their trickery," she warned Elena once more. The brunette fell to her knees, tears glistening in her eyes. Nova's upper lip pulled back with great rage. She took a step towards the darkness as Damon dropped Matt's body onto the ground. They could all see Elena breaking and feeling again. Nova shook her head with disgust. "You're a worthless human being and vampire, _pizdă_."

"How about now? You feel anything now?" Damon yelled at Elena. "You angry I just turned your buddy into roadkill? Or are you sad that the guy that everybody loves is just a bag of bones? Remember when he was a little kid, huh? Warm heart, big goofy smile, his whole life ahead of him. I guess it was a good idea that he was wearing this." He bent down and lifted Matt's hand, showing her the Gilbert ring on his finger as she started to cry.

"Oh my God, Matt," she sobbed.

"You feel that weight lifting off your chest? That's joy, because your friend isn't dead. That's emotion, Elena. That's humanity."

"It will also be the feelings of guilt, sorrow, and self-loathing in a matter of time," Nova spat as the darkness started to hide her. "The ultimate weakness. No Vasile will ever be seen as weak again."

While Stefan bent down to console Elena, Damon called out to Nova. "Don't do it, Damon," the younger brother suggested. "Don't go after her. You saw how she looks, she's worse than she's ever been."

Damon not once looked away from where she was. "She's my responsibility, brother," he told Stefan quietly before darting into the dark after Nova.

"Nova!" his voice rang through the trees. "Nova, each day could be the day you do the very thing you might not be able to take back. Don't let it get that far. Let me help you, _dolcezza._ Please!"

A small laugh echoed through the shadows, but it wasn't the laugh he loved so dearly. No, it was something much more sinister. More broken. "You think my humanity can still be found? Have you any idea how pathetic that makes you, _iubițel_?"

He was reaching, but he had to reach for anything at that point. "Lethia is pregnant with Klaus' magic kid. You hear about that?"

She was quiet a moment before responding. "She called me. Left a couple of voicemails. It's a sick plot even for you two. Tell me, Damon, how'd you con her into it?"

"Are you fucking serious right now, Nova? The first time I talked to her in days was today when I found out. The last time I saw her she was wreaking havoc at prom with Elena. Then Klaus whisked her away to New Orleans and she found out. She got her humanity back. Elena just did. You can too, Nova."

"I'm impressed by how intricate you're making this."

"Fucking enough, Nova!" He screamed, causing some crows and ravens to fly out of the trees. "You think I could make this shit up? You think Lethia would lie to you about something like that? She is pregnant with a tri-brid, magic baby that comes from two wild wolf packs. She wants you to be there for her. I want you to be home with me. Dammit, Nova, we can fix this!"

"It's not broken, Damon!" She yelled back at him, the shadows revealing her. "Lethia is just as weak as Elena then. She might as well join the team and hate me too."

"You honestly think Lethia could ever hate you? That _I_ could ever hate you?" His face had contorted in absolute disbelief as he took a step towards her. "I could never do that because if I even tried hate you, I would have nothing left. Why can't you see that anymore? I'll never stop loving you, Nova Lerae Vasile-Salvatore. Never."

Something flickered in her eyes. He saw it. She took a hesitant step closer to him, revealing just how bad she really looked. The angel blood was giving her power, yes, but coupled with the cocaine and who knew what other drugs it wasn't giving her any nutrition. She was powerful, but she was withering away. The skin around her nostrils was dry and cracking, she had dried blood staining her mouth and teeth, her clothes were as filthy as her matted and lifeless hair; Damon's heart ached deeply for her.

"Nova," he spoke breathily. "What the hell happened to you…?"

A weak, and dark yet sorrowful smile played at her lips. "I found a new high. And it makes me stronger than Klaus or anyone who tries to hurt me ever again."

Damon's lips parted, tears trying to fill his eyes. "What's this really about, Nova? You know you don't have to worry about Klaus anymore."

At the boarding house, Stefan brought Elena a cup of coffee laced with bourbon. "Hey." He spoke softly before sitting beside her. "How are you feeling?"

"The pain's still there… the grief and the shame. But I get it now. Shutting it off - it's a cheat. I mean, you put up this wall and shut out everything that makes you who you are. Nothing affects you, nothing matters. But things do matter, things that happen that can't be undone. And now I know that there's something I need to do about that."

"Elena, what you need to do is rest. Take it easy for a couple of days. Maybe even a couple of years."

"I- I'm done resting. I have to get ready." She stood, setting down the mug. "There's so much that I have to do."

"Think about it," Nova told Damon as she started to walk around him. "Who began this entire war to begin with?"

"Go back far enough," Elena told Stefan as she stared at the fire, "there's one person who brought us to this. She brought Klaus to Mystic Falls, she turned Caroline into a vampire, she killed my brother."

"She's been on the hunt for the Vasiles for who knows how long," continued Nova. "She tried to kill Zarya Deighton, succeeding in killing her parents and ruining her life. She's done nothing but try and tear you and Stefan and you and I apart for years."

"It all comes down to Katherine," both girls told each brother.

"You told me to focus on one thing," Elena looked to the younger brother. "So I did. I focused on the hate. And I hate her so much."

"She has taken everything she possibly could from me for over a century," Nova spat. "She did this, Damon. She deserves everything I'm going to do to her."

"Elena," Stefan half sighed, "Katherine's not worth your time. Even if you spend ten minutes of your life hating her, she wins."

"That's exactly what she wants, Nova!" Damon exclaimed exasperatedly. "She wants a prize fight. She wants it while you're like this so she can kick you even lower. It'll never end between the two of you."

"Not if I kill her," the girls decided.


	44. Exorcists Can't Save Me Now

44: Exorcists Can't Save Me Now.

"Hey guys," Sheriff Forbes greeted Stefan and Damon at the hospital.

"Hey," Stefan nodded.

"Why were we invited?" Damon inquired.

"Well, the hospital has kept the blood banks empty ever since they were raided last month. We thought at the very least it would help keep the vampire population away."

"And it didn't?" the younger brother raised a brow.

"See for yourself." She lead them into a room with a body on the bed, wrists torn and bloodied. "There are four other victims in this wing, each one almost completely drained of blood. You think it's Silas?"

"Are we sure it's not Nova…?" Stefan cautiously put out there.

His brother's face didn't even twitch. Just kept staring down at the unconscious patient. "She wouldn't have left them alive and you know that. It's not her M.O." He shook his head. "Yours is feeding so hard your victim's head pops off and you freakishly sit it back on," Liz made a face and Stefan rolled his eyes. "Nova shreds open their throats and leaves their eyes open for rigor mortis to set in…"

Something on Liz's face didn't settle well with Stefan who was the only one to see the expression. "I think you two better come with me again then."

The three walked silently down the hall to another room. It held two metal tables, a corpse on each of them. Both vastly different and equally horrifying. The victim on the right was clear as day Nova's from Damon's description. The man looked terrified and stuck that way when rigor mortis began. The victim on the left table, however, was unusual to them all.

"The guy on the right was drained entirely of blood." Liz explained. "Not a single drop except what spilled out. But this guy," she pointed to the left victim, "he's still got all of his blood left in him."

"How did he die then?" Stefan questioned.

"Some kind of hypothermia. He literally froze from the inside out. And judging by his face, it wasn't a pleasant process however the person did it."

A knock sounded on the door before it opened. The trio looked at two strange men; one was oddly tall and dressed in a navy and white suit while the one beside him was considerably shorter and donned a trench coat and messily done tie. They seemed surprised anyone was in that room then. The tall one pat his chest, checking his inner blazer pocket, before pulling out a leather ID case. "Special Agent Augeri. And this is my partner, Special Agent Barrett."

Liz immediately stepped forward with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm Sheriff Forbes of this town and I didn't call any feds for this case."

Damon stepped up beside her, eyes looking scrutinizingly at the two men. The one in the trench coat kept staring at him strangely while the tall one looked ready for a fight. "Because they're not feds," he accused confidently. "Mind if I check out your ID again, _Special Agent_?" He smirked and held his hand out.

"Okay fine, we're not. My name is Sam Winchester. This is Castiel." He looked less than thrilled to share the information.

"Does Castiel have a last name?" Liz quipped, half joking.

"I'm an angel of the Lord, so I don't suppose I would," Castiel answered.

Damon took another step towards them. Stefan came up beside him, grabbing his upper arm. "What do a Winchester and an angel want in Mystic Falls with this case?" He practically demanded.

"We're friends of Zarya Deighton-Vasile," Sam answered boldly. "I'm a hunter. This falls in what we're hunting."

"And what would that even be? Zarya's not in town anymore. Go figure she'd lead hunters around here."

Sam was really trying to keep his cool knowing Damon and Stefan were both vampires. "We know she's not here. My brother found her. We've been helping her search for the truth about her family. What happened here has made its way to us too. It's a lot bigger than you seem to think."

"How much bigger?" questioned Liz. "How many bodies and how far out?"

"Dozens. Up and down the eastern seaboard and spanning outwards towards Colorado and Indiana. Some human, some angel; some look like that," he pointed to the left corpse, "and others like that," and to the right. "Even some demons."

Castiel walked past them to view the body on the left. His face grimaced. "His soul was sucked so violently from his body that it froze him to death. It was done slowly, carefully, and painfully." Liz put a hand over her mouth as the angel inspected the second victim. "This was an angel," he looked up to Sam. "His name was Araton. An amazing leader. He sought peace on Earth after the Great Fall."

"Nova's… feeding on angels?" Damon muttered in a sorrowful disbelief.

"What could have sucked out that guy's soul though?" Stefan questioned.

" _I found a new high. And it makes me stronger than Klaus or anyone who tries to hurt me ever again."_

Damon still stood, frozen and staring at Nova's angel victim, as Castiel answered. "Saskia Vasile."

The lights went out all across the hospital suddenly. Nova was still in town. But so was Saskia _and_ Silas. They had to find Nova and Bonnie before Saskia and Silas did.

* * *

Nova let another angel fall to the ground when she heard footsteps nearing her. She rolled her eyes, thinking it was Damon. "You have too much hope for the wicked, _iubițel_."

"Flattering," a female voice replied instead, sending the Romanian on high alert. "Do you feel all mighty since you drank my nephilim blood and got yourself addicted to angel blood?"

Nova turned and faced Saskia with a bloody smirk. "It's certainly better than Carina's fix for demon blood."

Saskia looked boredly at her long, manicured nails. "Your darling Bennett witch is dropping the veil to the Other Side."

"Why the hell would you come here to tell me that?"

"Because you're not going to live long enough to see it. I have to take all that power from you and it's not going to be a pleasant process. For you, anyway." She smirked. "What a shame you won't get to see the birth of your niece."

The Romanian rolled her eyes. "What, you say it and I'm supposed to believe? A hybrid and a hybrid can't make some magic baby."

"Such denial." She shook her head. "The Kross wolves are born to breed, child. It's like a fail safe in the event someone ever tried to massacre their pack. What a good thing her brother did when he accidently knocked up an outsider before little Lettie had to shred him from the Hunter's Curse." She shrugged. "The woman raised the child in secret, forever keeping the rest of the Kross wolves living. Thanks to you, their alpha is still alive. Giving her the opportunity to do the same."

Nova was quiet a moment, thinking about something Lethia had told her once. "That was you then, at the Christmas event. And the little girl, she was a Kross wolf?"

"Aye. A descendant I found in an orphanage and adopted for myself. It's a guarantee Lethia will have a daughter since she's still the pack's alpha. Need women to reproduce, right?"

She grit her teeth. "So what are you doing here? Is that supposed to be a threat towards Lethia's kid? That your big move?"

"Oh, no, I'm a very patient woman, Nova. I have been at this a very long time. While Lethia's tri-brid Mikaelson baby does pique my interest, like I said, you won't live long enough to see what happens."

As Saskia started to advance on her, Nova connected the dots. If Bonnie was already working on the spell then she would be at the epicenter of the storm. Her red lips pulled into a smirk when she figured where it would be. "I suppose you're going to have to keep waiting or try and catch me then." She flipped Saskia one of her own (barely anymore) manicured nails before speeding away. Saskia snarled and chased after her.

* * *

"You're not gonna believe this, but this town is crazy." Sam told his brother over the phone. "Cas and I are at the high school right now because of some bad spell their witch is doing. Turns out Nova's got an addiction to cocaine and she found angel blood to be stronger." His voice was hushed as they made their way around. Sam had his gun his hands, Cas had his angel blade.

" _Don't let your guards down,"_ Dean told him. " _You're on supernatural territory right now."_

"We won't be long. We're just backup quick; checking on a lead then we'll be back. We aren't here for any fights."

The call ended and Sam slipped his phone back into his pocket. Cas looked up at him. "This town is home of the supernatural and this is also a Vasile fight, Sam. We may not be able to avoid any fights."

"We have to get to the bottom of this, even if it ties us to Mystic Falls. We have to protect Zarya and stop Lucifer, Remiel, and Saskia. We'll do what it takes."

"Where's Katherine?" Elena demanded in a different hall when she was alone with Damon.

He rolled his eyes and kept walking. " _Now_ I get it. One brother shoots you down, you ask the other one. Great."

"You know, don't you?"

"Do you not notice all of the end-of-the-world crap going on right now?"

He got in contact with his brother and Sam Winchester, the three figuring that they needed to get to the basement. Damon turned to Elena for an answer as to where the basement was. She rolled her eyes. "Off the boiler room."

"Alright, I'll meet you there." He hung up and turned to Elena. "You're gonna have to stay here. We're gonna find Bonnie."

"Are you kidding me? I don't care about Bonnie. I care about killing Katherine."

"They're together, okay?" He finally exclaimed. "We need so stop Bonnie from doing the spell, and if you get all murderous and screw it up-"

"Is that really the reason?"

"As self-righteous as Stefan is, he has a point. Behind your rage, there is a tidal wave of feelings - all of your guilt, all your grief, every emotion you've ever put off, and killing Katherine's gonna let it all in. And if you can't handle it, then we're back to square one."

"And if I can? What if killing Katherine takes away all that grief and guilt? What if killing Katherine finally lets me feel all the good things that I've lost? Damon, help me. As soon as I get over this hurdle, I'll be me. I'll be able to think clearly, I'll be myself, and everything will go back to normal. It's nothing Nova hasn't done before and she's never crumbled."

Damon had turned his back to her to start walking. He didn't turn around and look at her. "Nova is crumbling right now because of all of that," he told her quietly. "You don't get to use Nova's name in vain or as an excuse anymore. Nobody does." He finally turned and looked her in the eye. "Katherine is strong, and crafty, and you will die."

She sighed, pausing for a moment. Her hand gripped around the stake she was given. Suddenly she launched forward and stabbed Damon in the gut with the stake. "I bet you wouldn't try to stop Nova."

He groaned and slid down a wall to the floor. "Maybe if she wasn't withering away to nothing right now," he groaned out loudly. "You'll both get killed!"

She shrugged. "At least I'll die trying."

After she ran off, Damon tried desperately to remove the stake. Someone walked up beside him and knelt down. "Need a hand?" Alaric smiled before pulling the stake out.

"Well this is either really good, or _really_ bad."

He chuckled. "It's good to see you too, Damon."

"I'd say the feeling is mutual, except a lot of people aren't exactly who they say they are around here."

"You think I'm Silas? Are you kidding me?"

He gave Damon a hand and pulled him to his feet. "See, now this puts us in a bit of a pickle, because that is exactly what Silas would say."

Alaric pondered something a moment before walking over to a locker. He rapped his fist on it in a way that caused the door to spring open. He grinned and took out a bottle of scotch. "Now, would Silas know about Locker 42?"

Damon started to grin and they embraced, laughing. "Ah, hang on. If I can see you, and I can touch you, that means the little witch did it… she dropped the veil."

"Not completely. It's only down inside of the Expression Triangle. If I step outside of it, it's back to ghost world."

"Well where is everybody? I figured with the veil down it'd be like Ghost-a-palooza."

"Not every one of us wishes to return to this disturbing town," came a female voice. Out of the flickering light at the end of the hall stepped a raven haired girl with eyes just as dark. She reminded them of Nova. Damon's lips turned to a frown when he realized. "My name is Zina, in case either of you were still clueless. I want to know where my sister is."

Downstairs, Katherine finally got Bonnie to give her some magical slack. She started walking down one of the tunnels, dragging a nail down the wall. "Silas… come and get me…"

She heard someone moving around with vampire speed and looked around. Surprisingly, they were moving just too fast for her to see. After a moment of teasing, the stranger stabbed Katherine in the gut. Elena glared down at her. "Hello, Katherine." With Elena unaware of the affect, Bonnie fell to the floor in pain. Her stomach began bleeding.

"I let you out of your cage, and this is how you thank me?" Katherine sneered back.

"No. _This_ is how I thank you."

She sped over to Katherine, yanked her up, and slammed her face against a hot pipe. She screamed as it burned her skin. Bonnie screamed in the same pain. Stefan and Caroline ran in to the chamber, finding Bonnie in such pain. "Bonnie!" Stefan shouted, grabbing her. "Bonnie what happened?"

"Katherine," she choked out. "Find Katherine. We're linked."

"Then unlink her!" Caroline yelled with fear. "You go, I'll stay with Bonnie," she told Stefan.

Above, Nova stood in a hallway looking even worse than she had been. She was deteriorating. As she walked slowly down the hall, lights exploded behind her one by one. She came to a crossroad in the halls with Saskia walking up to the end of the hall in front of her. She looked to her left and found Sam Winchester with his gun, Castiel with his angel blade on her right, and Zina behind her. She looked at the four of them, blood dripping lips pulling into a malevolent smirk. "Game on."

"Goodbye, Katherine." Elena poisted her stake at the older vampire's heart. She started to bring it down when Stefan ran in and pinned her to the ground. "Stefan!" She exclaimed with betrayal.

Katherine smiled as she rose to her feet. "Thanks for the save, handsome."

He struggled to continue restraining Elena as he glared up at her. "Get the hell out of here before I kill you myself."

Once Katherine was out of sight, Stefan released Elena. "How could you save her? She was as good as dead!"

"Yeah, and so was Bonnie. Bonnie used a spell to link herself to Katherine so if you killed her then Bonnie would be dead too."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I _saw_ her, Elena. You almost killed your best friend."

"You never wanted me to kill Katherine. Why are you protecting her, Stefan? Do you still have feelings for her?"

His eyes widened a little. He took a second, contemplating his reply. "Are you still undyingly loyal to Nova? Desperate to impress her?"

Elena was silent, not giving him a response. She turned to walk away but he grabbed her. She reacted immediately by punching him in the face and knocking him to the ground. "See? Does nothing. Just like killing angels doesn't actually help Nova."

* * *

Nova's lifeless emerald eyes looked around at each of the four. "I wonder who has the balls to strike first…" she mused aloud to them. "Who is most suicidal and wishing to die first…"

"She's my sister," came Zina. "Therefore it's my duty to take her out."

Saskia rolled her eyes. "Oh, grow up, kid. All of this goes far beyond some foolish cursed twins."

"You have no right!" the younger Romanian spat back. "This is all because of you! You damned all of us from the beginning!"

Saskia grinned toothily. "Yes, it was. Remiel sought peace and to save the life of an innocent woman. The way she looked at humanity, at Heaven and Hell, it wasn't enough. Not even Lucifer's ideals were enough. They both were foolish and will watch me rise to the top of the food chain. I will almost be ready after I take you four's souls."

Rage burned bright in Zina's eyes as she stepped beside her sister. "Sam, Castiel," both of their eyes widened, brows raised with curiosity. "Our common enemy is not my idiot sister." She glared at her twin. "Saskia is true evil that's only going to damn us all. If you care to protect Dean from falling into her with the Mark of Cain then we need to take her out instead of Nova."

"Should I thank you or bash your skull into a locker while you're corporal?" Nova hissed to the ravenette beside her.

"How about you just go tend to your also idiot progeny trying to kill my maker before one of the more violent, revenge bent spirits do? I have had a few words with Kol Mikaelson you know."

"So you're going to throw us to him instead of offing me yourself? How typical and lazy of you."

Zina looked at her sister wit disgust. "I have no desire to toss your ass around this lame human school while you're doped up on drugs and angel blood. You're not worth anyone's time when you're a junkie this bad. Clean up your act and then I'll fight you, _soră mai mare_."

Nova's lips had turned into a tight, pissed off frown. "I will come back for you, _micuțul de mine_. And don't consider receiving any gratitude for this." Without another word, she vanished down the end of the hall that Zina had been guarding, leaving her younger twin in her spot.

* * *

"Now this is what I've missed," Kol grinned as he kicked Elena to the ground. "Two people connecting." He kicked her again and she started to wheeze. "It's lonely on the Other Side… and I swear being invisible will drive you mad. The way you couldn't see me standing in front of you, or feel my breath on your cheek as I whispered all the ways that I wished for you to suffer." He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off her feet as she struggled to breathe. "But alas, now you can!"

"Go ahead, Kol, kill me." She rasped. "You'd be doing me a favor."

Before he could act, he was flung across the cemetery by an unseen force. Elena fell to the ground coughing. She looked up to see who had saved her, surprised to see a disheveled Nova. Kol began to laugh, knowing exactly why she looked so awful. "My old sweetheart got you fixed on angel blood. How precious."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She hissed, her accented voice becoming raspy.

"Carina always had extravagant tastes," he answered as he rose to his feet. "She had a thing for demon blood after I turned her. I tried it myself but couldn't compare it to warm, human blood. She'd drink it daily like a fine wine. You seem to have chugged the entire liquor store."

He sped over to her and grabbed her throat the same way he had had Elena. They were both surprised she fell limp and let him manhandle her. "Fight back, Nova!" Elena pleaded. "Fight him off and run! I can handle it, I promise!"

"Let it end," she whispered to the Original, barely choking beneath his grip.

His eyes widened. "You… you want me to kill you? And here I thought only your progeny was too depressed being a vampire."

"Everyone wants my humanity back," she told him. "I don't wish to feel anymore. _Let it end._ "

"Hey dick bag!" Someone else shouted. With his grip still on Nova, Kol turned and found Jeremy Gilbert with his bow pointed at him. "How many times do I need to kill you before you leave my sister and Nova alone?"

Before Jeremy took the shot, Stefan ran in and hastily snapped Kol's neck. Both he and Nova dropped to the cold ground. For a moment, Nova refused to move. It took her a moment before she was dragging herself up. When she was finally sitting up, she watched Elena and Jeremy embrace. She used a headstone to help her to her feet, backing away slowly. Her head was spinning seeing Jeremy again.

"Nova!" Stefan called to her. He could see something trying desperately to break free in her eyes.

"Nova," Jeremy smiled and took a step towards her. "Girl, you look like a mess," he chuckled a little and opened his arms for her to hug im. "Come here. We can make it okay now."

"No," she breathed, taking another shaky step away. "You're dead…"

"It's okay, Nova. You did what you had to do to protect Elena. Thank you. It's okay to come back from the edge now. Come back to us."

Nova shook her head furiously, tears threatening to brim. Something weighed heavily on her chest but not enough. "It will never be okay…" She shook her head again before rushing away.

* * *

Riel's eyes pried open slowly. She was sitting wherever she slept, slumped over the table or whatever. As she came to, she sat up slowly. She was sitting at the counter of the old diner from Pike Creek. She turned in the little bar stool and found the diner splattered with blood and littered with corpses. There was only one person with her, sitting at the other end of the counter. Her breath shook as she instantly recognized him. She wanted nothing more than to run out the door but she knew that would be impossible. As if she wouldn't clumsily slip in all of the blood to begin with. She was frozen in her seat as he made his way towards her slowly.

"How did you get inside my head?" She questioned bravely, trying desperately not to let her voice shake. "Why aren't you up Zarya's ass still?"

He was standing behind her and slammed his hands dramatically onto her shoulders to make her jump. She couldn't see his face, but she knew he was smirking. "I unfortunately had to part ways with Rya for a bit. I expected to find my way to Daciana as she's always been willing to listen to me, but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself here."

"What do you want with me?"

"You're such a strong witch, you know that, Auriel? I've always been mildly impressed with your power. But I've found that your mind is so incredibly vulnerable thanks to all that magic. I won't sit back and watch Saskia demean and belittle Remiel and I anymore. I intend on, eventually, delivering her technical daughter's heart to her."

Riel tried to gulp quietly, frozen beneath his icy hands. "You would have to find Remiel and Saskia first. No one has heard from Remiel in ages."

"Oh, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve still. I've got some time too. We have a lot to do, Auriel." He yanked her out of the chair and grabbed her by the upper arms, holding her against the counter. She tried to pull away and thrash against him. His grip tightened as his eyes lit up scarlet.

"You need permission!" She argued fearfully. "And you're not going to get it!"

Lucifer laughed at her. "Not this time, kiddo. Not when you owe me for that sweet grimoire that saved your ass more times than a few. You're in my debt and I'm here to collect."

Riel let out a vehement scream as he started overwhelming her mind. The windows shattered, bodies jostled around, and no one knew a thing because it was all in her head. She felt the ice encasing her until he had every bit of control.


	45. One Minute I Know You then I Don't

**A/N:** This is it, guys! The grand finale to _Monster_!

Thank you so very much to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed; it was your endless support that allowed this entire series to happen. And thanks to all of you, it's going to continue. _Monster II: Dark Paradise_ premieres this coming spring/summer along with the next half of _Devil in Me_!

Like my Facebook page for important updates, promos (which there are two new ones on youtube!), and premiere dates!

xoxo  
Kuraki-chan

* * *

45: One Minute I Know You, Then I Don't.

Nova was leaning against a large, old tree in the woods. Her knees and ankles wobbled until she slid down onto the cool, dewy grass. She looked as though she literally had one foot in the grave. Against her will she started nodding off, her head leaning forward as she remained slumped against the tree. She tried desperately to force her bloodshot eyes open. The dark circles beneath the lifeless emerald had grown and sunken horrifically. As her makeupless lashes brushed once more against her snow white cheekbone for what could have been a temporary final time, her phone rang louder than she swore it ever had in her coat pocket. It startled her, causing her shaky hands to fumble with the phone. She hesitated when she saw Damon's photo on her screen.

"I suggest that this better not be another feely call," she answered hoarsely as she leaned her head back against the tree.

Damon groaned loudly on the other line. "Nova…" He strained as loudly as he could. His phone must had been knocked from his hand. "Nova, please… I need you!"

Her eyes shot open and she froze solid in her spot. Gunshots rang over the line and she twitched a little, her dry lips parting. "Got a little message for you, laddies," came the voice of Vaughn. "Straight from the mouth of the witch Qetsiyah."

For the first time since she shut off her humanity, Nova's eyes beamed with a gallant fire. The redness of the veins making them bloodshot slowly receded. "You can tell the bitch that Nova Vasile has a message for her as well," she hissed into the phone before crushing it to bits in her hand. Nova forced herself onto her feet before she vanished.

In Mystic Falls, Damon coughed on his own blood while trying to pull a bullet from his shoulder. "Come on, man," he groaned. "I didn't kill you."

"No, but you left me in that well on that island, where I starved to death. There I was, all alone on the Other Side, till Qetsiyah found me and reminded me of my supernatural destiny – to cure Silas, and then kill Silas. End of story-"

The hunter began to gag, blood pouring from his mouth. Damon looked up with confusion when Vaughn crashed down onto the floor beside him. Where he had stood, Nova remained in his place with his bleeding heart in her hand. Damon's lip trembled as he looked up at her, realizing just how far the great Nova Vasile had fallen. Grabbing what he could to help himself Damon got to his feet and stood a safe couple of feet away from her. He desperately didn't want to scare her off again.

"I will always come when you call for me," she told him through grit teeth. It was like tears wanted to form and fall, but her eyes were just too dead and dry.

"That's your humanity, Nov," he replied softly, taking a cautious step closer. "Your love for me that's been there since either of us were turned." He took another small step forward and held his hand out to her. "Let me help you get cleaned up, Nov. Please."

At first she recoiled when his hand went to her. She even put one foot back as if she was going to bail again. But she kept staring at his hand, then his face, then the eyes she knew so well. She expected him to be hurt and give up. When he didn't move even an inch, just waiting patiently for her to take his hand, she dropped the hunter's heart. The shaking hand not covered in blood reached up hesitantly before she took his hand. He didn't even notice how cold or thin her hand and fingers were. The second he felt her again he pulled her right to him and held onto her, wrapping his arms longingly around her small frame. She could smell the leather and bourbon as if it never changed, easing into the familiar scent and feeling.

Damon helped her upstairs and drew her a bath. All of her clothes and bathroom supplies were right where she left every single one. He took his time washing the blood and dirt off her skin and out of her hair. The warm water seemed to help bring life and color back to her face as best as it always was for being a vampire. He washed her hair twice before deeply conditioning in an attempt to fix the damaged raven locks. Once Nova was finally clean he wrapped her in the biggest and softest towel they had so he could dry and brush her hair through. He helped her dress in warm black leggings and a soft, grey long sleeve with clean undergarments and fuzzy socks. The entire time neither of them said a word, not that they seemed to mind. He got her to sit at the end of his bed so he could braid her damp hair when a soft knock came on the door.

Elena jumped a little when the door opened enough to reveal Damon and Nova. She froze in the doorway just staring at the Romanian who didn't even look over at her. Her brown eyes darted between the two older vampires, unsteady about Nova being so temporarily docile. "So, I think there's some stuff you and I need to talk about…" She spoke softly towards Damon.

Damon didn't budge until he finished braiding Nova's hair. When he finally did, he kissed the top of her head and walked over to his desk to grab something. Still, Nova paid no mind. "Yes, we do," he started as he fiddled through a drawer, "but first…" He found what he had been looking for, a small box, and handed it to the brunette. "Consider it a graduation present."

"Damon, I can't take that," Elena responded when she realized it was the cure.

"Sure you can. Looks like it might be cherry-flavored. Besides… it's probably best for you to not be part of our messed up sireline."

"I'm not saying I don't want it – obviously I want it. But… that's the only one. There's only one cure. And the hunters have made it pretty clear that they're willing to kill everyone in Mystic Falls until they get it."

"We can deal with the hunters. I want you to take it."

"I can't," she continued to argue.

"You should," Nova finally spoke, causing the other two to jump. Her voice wasn't so hoarse but it was soft and lifeless. "Damon is right; we will deal with the hunters and the dead. But it would be wisest for you to take the cure, Elena."

Damon and Elena were quiet for a long moment, taking in the Romanian's words and just staring at her. "Come on," he finally spoke, "we don't need the cure for Silas – he's a calcified statue." He moved, groaning lightly when he did. One of Nova's brows quirked up; that was the fourth time he had done something of the sort.

"What was that?" Elena questioned him first.

"Nothing," he lied.

In a flash Nova was behind him, tugging at his collar. "Take off your shirt."

He couldn't resist smirking a little. "Nova, there's children present. As much as I like where your attitude is going so suddenly."

She ignored him entirely and tugged the fabric far enough away so they could see the bullet wound in his shoulder that still hadn't healed. Elena's eyes went wide first. "Damon, why isn't that healed?"

Nova's lips parted and she took a step back. "Because the bullet was laced with werewolf venom…" She realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of her gut.

"We need Klaus," the brunette spoke quickly. "We need his blood."

"Klaus would rather see me die. Plus, Klaus is a thousand miles away sipping Hurricanes on Bourbon Street while Lethia devours all of the gumbo in the state."

As Elena and Damon started to argue, Nova's thoughts were running rampant. Rage boiled at the thought of what Vaughn did, fueling her emotionlessness, but she couldn't escape the fear of the venom taking Damon's life. Her blood wasn't enough though; it could probably prolong the inevitable, it she hadn't done all of the drugs and killed all of the angels that she had. All she could do was stand in the middle of the room and stare off as they argued. She didn't know what she normally would have felt. Everything felt so out of reach.

"Sounds like Vaughn's awake," Damon's voice finally got Nova's attention. "I'm gonna go dig up Silas with him." He turned around and gave the Romanian vampire a long kiss on her forehead before walking downstairs and out of the boarding house.

Elena looked up at Nova with those big, doe eyes she always hated so much. She couldn't find the right words to say to the ravenette so she opted to walk out instead. Nova heard Elena's shoes tap each of the stairs one by one on her way down. She remained unmoving from where she stood in the middle of Damon's room. Stefan found Elena downstairs and the two of them started trying to figure out the hunters. "We have to do something. If those hunters give the cure to Silas-" Elena spoke as she paced.

"They're not giving it to Silas. Wherever Damon is taking Vaughn right now, it's to stall, because Damon hasn't had time to bury Silas' body yet."

"What difference does it make what you send him off to do when he's dying regardless?"

They heard Nova's voice suddenly and turned to comfort and console her. Both of their eyes widened when they didn't find her behind them like they heard. Quickly, they checked the boarding house. Nova had vanished yet again.

* * *

Listless emerald eyes stared up at the sign for Rousseau's bar. Hesitantly, old boots made their way across the street and into the restaurant. It wasn't difficult to pick out the blonde head at the counter scarfing down gumbo. She ignored every single wary or admiring or fearful look as she made her way towards the blonde. Without a word Nova took the empty seat beside her longtime best friend. Lethia nearly choked on the gumbo in her mouth when she saw Nova beside her. Her amber eyes were wide, unable to look away from the ravenette. She desperately wanted to hug the woman, but didn't want to push her away.

"I got your voicemail," Nova started without looking at Lethia once. "Damon even gave me a run down in an attempt to turn my humanity back on." They shared a silence and Lethia set her spoon down before Nova spoke again, much quieter. "Is it really true?"

The blonde smiled softly, unable to tear her eyes away from her companion. She barely even acknowledged how unwell the ravenette looked despite her bath and clean clothes. "Just listen, _õde_." She watched the vampire use her heightened hearing and waited. The second Nova's eyes sprung open and lips parted Lethia knew she heard the second heartbeat. Yet still the light refused to shine in her eyes. "Are you really not going to turn it back on, Nov?"

"There are too many threats on the horizon that I need to think clearly for."

"And you think that shredding angels and getting hooked on their blood alongside the coke is thinking clearly?"

She looked away with a hint of shame on her face. "That… that was a trap laid for me by Carina." Lethia's eyes widened with a pained sympathy. "I'll get her back for that later. Right now, the veil to the Other Side is paper thin thanks to Bonnie. We've got ghosts with a thirst for vengeance."

Lethia nodded slowly and stirred what was left of her gumbo. "Damon's hurt, isn't he?" When Nova didn't answer she let out a sorrowful sigh. "How bad is it, Nov?"

She bit the inside of her cheek. "Vaughn returned and shot him with wolf venom laced bullets. I can't… I can't even hope that my blood would help him right now."

The hybrid could have almost cried right then. Even with her humanity off she still _knew_. And Lethia knew then just how much of the ravenette it must have taken for her to show up in NOLA asking for what she was. She didn't hesitate again and decided to wrap her arms around Nova's shoulders. The vampire was stiff at first, but it wasn't long before she relaxed in Lethia's embrace and wrapped her arms around her best friend too.

A tear managed to slip from the blonde's eye as she held Nova's smaller than usual self. "All I ask in return is that no matter what happens, you never let go of your love for Damon, okay? With or without your humanity."

* * *

Nova's footfalls were near silent as she made her way back into the boarding house. She could hear Elena and Stefan nearby and slowed her pace. "Honestly, Stefan," Elena spoke, "I just wanted to thank you. For sticking by me when I was at my worst, for believing that I was still in there. Even after everything I put you through, you… you never gave up on me."

"I, ah… I kind of owed you one."

"Here."

The ravenette rounded the corner to see Elena putting the cure into the younger Salvatore's hands. The floor creaked, alerting them of her presence, and they both whipped around. Their eyes widened when they saw Nova had returned even though her expression was still blank and unfeeling. Unable to contain herself, Elena ran right up and threw her arms around Nova ignoring the usual way she would stiffen under the gesture. "I know it was you that brought Klaus to town. Thank you, Nova." She jumped a little when Nova's arms calmly returned the gesture. "Damon is upstairs," she told the ravenette as they pulled away, "in you guys' room." She smiled softly.

Nova nodded stiffly and turned towards the stairs, ignoring the looks of everyone in the boarding house dead, alive, or undead. She tuned each one of their existences out though each and every one of them could see the toll that had been taken on the vampire. Everyone just watched as Nova made her way up the stairs, trying almost desperately to have the regality in her walk she once held. Elena's heart almost ached for the girl as she watched Nova vanish behind the door upstairs.

"I wanted to apologize," Damon started off quietly when he heard Nova walk in. He had been staring out his window and continued to as he spoke to her. "And then I realized," his gaze turned to her, "I'm not sorry."

"You would rather die than be human again?" She spoke emotionlessly. Still nothing glimmered in her eyes.

"And I'm not sorry for it."

Nova was silent as she stared him in the eyes. "I'm not sorry either." His brow raised. "I'm not sorry that it was you who found me when I arrived in America. I'm not sorry that you made me question _everything_ ; that life or death you have made me feel the most alive. And I am not sorry that I will keep my humanity off for however long I need to, doing whatever it is I have to do, to protect the man I have been in love with since 1860."

Damon's eyes widened as she finished the final word. Something almost felt as if it broke inside of his chest. "No, Nova, you are not using that as an excuse to keep your switch off. Please," he walked up to her and cradled her face in his hands, "don't do this, _dolcezza._ Your love for me is supposed to keep this from happening. It's supposed to bring you back to me, not further away!"

She reached up and touched his cheek delicately, whispering her words against his lips. "I am not sorry that I love you, _iubițel_."

Before he could even register what had just happened, she was gone in the wind yet again.

* * *

"Bonnie," Elena called as she opened the door to the boiler room at the high school. "Jer, are you guys here?"

"Well, well," came Kol's voice behind her. A malefic grin had spread across his face. "Speaking of unfinished business."

He attacked Elena, throwing her to the ground. She had braced herself but just as suddenly as the attack started, Kol vanished. She got up, thinking what must have happened, but doesn't have more than a moment to let it sink in before she heard a noise nearby. She turned and found Katherine suddenly in her face. "Happy graduation, cupcake."

The older vampire doppelganger grabbed Elena by the throat and slammed her into a door. "What are you doing?" She choked out.

"Would you believe that I'm having a bad day?" She tossed Elena helplessly into some lockers. "It started when Bonnie denied me my Silas-like immortality." Elena attempted to get up but Katherine sped over to her and stomped her down with her heeled foot.

"Of course, because Katherine Pierce can't be happy with good old vampire-caliber immortality." She found the strength to shove Katherine and her foot off before finding Nova-like speed to grab her doppelganger and slam her down. Katherine retaliated by tossing the younger vamp into lockers again. Elena snarled and ripped one of the locker doors off, slapping Katherine in the face with it as hard as she could.

"I deserved it," Katherine shouted as she picked up the fallen door. "I never had a graduation, or a prom, or, you know, a life. But you did." She swung the door back at Elena, knocking her away a few feet. "You have everything, and it's not because you're a good little girl who deserves happiness, it's because you stole mine."

Elena looked up as Katherine advanced towards her when the older vamp stopped suddenly. Something yanked back on her hair momentarily before it ripped and threw Katherine down the hall entirely. In her place, Nova stood proudly yet still coldly. She looked over her shoulder to Katherine with a sneer. "Classy to the end, Katerina."

Katherine stood up laughing. "Your end, Nova. I've just been itching to take the life of the great Nova Vasile since 1864."

"That is a feat you will never have the honor of accomplishing. You will _never_ have that satisfaction. Bulgarian _curva._ "

Elena watched with massively wide eyes as the two vampires ran at one another full speed. They collided in the middle of the hall, tossing each other into lockers and making large dents. Nova balled her fists and started swinging. She landed about thirty direct hits that Elena could count before Katherine found her window of opportunity. She dipped right behind Nova and grabbed a fist full of her thick, black hair worse than Nova had when she tossed Katherine down the hall.

"I have nothing," the older doppelganger snarled as she jostled Nova around by her hair. "But I'm about to change that."

Nova's hand stretched and reached down to her boot while Katherine tugged. She picked those old boots with a purpose. She had left them behind for a reason. Her fingers finally slipped in and grabbed hold of something. Once she had three fingers around it, she was able to slip out one of her matching daggers. Katherine laughed at her mockingly saying how she would never be able to reach close enough to cut her. Nova smirked with her hand firmly around the blade. "I didn't intend to, _pizdă_." Instead, she bent her hand back and beneath with just the right angle to whip it through and slice each strand of dark hair until she was free from Katherine's filthy hand.

"Nova!" Elena found herself calling out with tears in her eyes as she watched strand by strand fall to the ground.

It turned Katherine's attention back onto her. She grabbed a nearby broom and snapped off the brush part like a toothpick before charging for Elena. Elena tried to grab the wooden handle as it came at her but Katherine's anger made her strong enough to push the stick into Elena's throat. She twisted it round as Elena began to cough and spew blood. Too focused on Elena, Katherine blatantly missed Nova charging down the hall, letting out a loud battle cry, until the Romanian leaped onto her shoulders. Nova's legs tightened with a vice like grip on Katherine's throat as she yanked them both back down to the floor. Elena dropped to the floor the moment Katherine's grip on the handle was gone. She choked and coughed, her vision going fuzzy. She had been desperately trying to find something in her pocket and pull it out.

Katherine held Nova down with one hand on her upper chest and the other inside, gripping her beating heart tightly. "What do you know?" She mocked in Nova's face. "There is a heart in there."

As Nova sputtered on blood, she could see Elena's hand in her peripheral desperately trying to gain her attention. Her head lolled over and realized what the young brunette was attempting. With what strength she had left, Nova forced her arm to stretch out towards her progeny. They were just a couple of inches too far. Elena grit her teeth and shoved as hard as she could until it was safely in Nova's hand. As soon as she felt it in her hand Nova knew Elena's plan. She knew there was no escape from Mystic Falls for her now. Without a second thought she rammed the cure into Katherine's mouth above her.

Katherine tried to pull away but couldn't far enough unless she wanted to release Nova's heart. Being as stubborn as she was, the cure ended up down Katherine's throat which still forced her to let go of Nova's heart. Elena managed to rip the stick from her throat and crawl over to Nova as Katherine fell onto the floor beside them. She saw Nova's eyes fluttering, her gaze fixed on the white ceiling as she smirked. "Have a nice, human life, Katherine."

Elena looked over and found Katherine already unconscious as Nova's eyes fluttered closed. With both her doppelganger and maker comatose, Elena fell at Nova's side. The lights flickered, lockers were damaged, and Nova's hair laid scattered around them.

It was only a matter of time.


End file.
